Cheese Fatayer
Make Lebanese cheese fatayer with homemade dough, mozzarella, feta, and parsley. Serve them warm from the oven with a Mediterranean meal!
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast 1 packet
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ cup olive oil plus more for oiling the bowl
For the Cheese Mixture
- 3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment, mix the flour, water, yeast, sugar, and salt until it comes together in a shaggy mixture, about 1 minute. Add the olive oil and continue to mix until the dough becomes soft and smooth and lightly sticky without leaving any dough on your fingers, about 5 more minutes.
- Lift the dough from the bowl, lightly oil the bowl, and return the dough back to the oiled bowl. Cover the dough in the bowl with a slightly damp kitchen towel and set aside at room temperature until the dough has puffed and risen to double its volume, about 90 minutes.
- Remove the dough and divide into 24 pieces, about 30 grams each, and shape into round balls. Let sit in an oiled tray covered until doubled in volume, about 30 more minutes.
Make the Cheese Mixture
- In a large bowl, combine the mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, parsley, and black pepper. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Assemble & Bake
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly sprinkle flour on top.
- Divide the dough into the two trays with 12 balls each and keep them covered while you work.
- Use your hands to flatten the dough in a circular shape, about 5-inches wide. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the cheese mixture inside each circle. Pinch the dough from two opposite sides up in the shape of a boat. Press the cheese mixture down.
- Bake for 14–16 minutes until the tops are golden brown and the cheese is melted. 2–3 minutes before they finish baking, use a spoon to push down any cheese that starts to ooze out.
Notes
My Top Tip: Keep the dough covered while you work. Dough dries out quickly once divided, so keep the remaining dough balls covered with a towel until you're ready to shape them.
Storage: Let the cheese fatayer cool completely to room temperature. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or a resealable zip-top bag and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven at 350ºF for 5–8 minutes or in the air fryer at 325°F for 3–5 minutes until heated through.
Freezing: Let the cheese fatayer cool completely to room temperature. Then, freeze in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven or air fryer.
Nutrition
Serving: 2pies | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 709mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 291mg | Iron: 2mg
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