Imagine biting into cheesy bites of heaven – that’s what these pide, fatayer, or manaeesh are all about! It’s like the Middle Eastern version of cheese bread, perfect for breakfast or a snack anytime during the day!
Cheese Fatayer
Ingredients
**Cheese Filling:**
- 3 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of dried mint
- 1 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of nigella seeds
**Dough:**
- 2 2/3 cups of all-purpose flour plus extra if needed
- 1/2 tablespoon of salt
- 1/2 tablespoon of instant yeast
- 1 cup of lukewarm water
- 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt
**For Assembly:**
- Milk or heavy cream for brushing
Instructions
**Making the Dough:**
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, instant yeast, lukewarm water, sugar, olive oil, and plain yogurt.
- Use a stand mixer with a hook attachment or mix by hand until you form a soft, elastic dough. It should be slightly sticky but manageable. Add more flour if needed.
- Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise in a warm place for an hour until it doubles in size.
**Making the Cheese Filling:**
- While the dough is resting, prepare the cheese filling. In a bowl, mix together the mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, parsley, beaten egg, onion powder, dried mint, Aleppo pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, and nigella seeds. Set aside.
**Assembly:**
- Preheat your oven to 475°F.
- After the dough has risen, punch it down and divide it into 12 equal portions, shaping each into a tight ball.
- Roll out each piece into an oval/football shape.
- Add a generous amount of cheese filling to the center of each oval, then fold over the left and right sides, pinching the top and bottom to create a boat-like shape.
- Place the filled dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the edges with milk or heavy cream.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges turn golden brown.
- Let them cool for a few minutes before enjoying them warm.
- Get ready to savor these delicious cheesy treats!