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Photograph of the finished Sfiha

Middle East · Bánh thịt mở mặt Sfiha Baalbek

Sfiha

1 hr Hands-on time + 2 hr soaking or marinating first
MediumDifficulty
5 stepsSteps

Method

  1. 1 Knead the dough with yeast and olive oil, then let it rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  2. 2 Mince the lamb with a knife, then mix it with chopped tomatoes and onions, squeezing out the excess liquid.
  3. 3 Mix yogurt with pomegranate syrup and baharan cheese into the filling; the yogurt keeps the filling moist throughout the high-temperature baking.
  4. 4 Roll out the dough into a small 8 cm disc, spread the filling thinly to cover the entire surface, then edge the dough around the perimeter, leaving a 5 mm margin so the filling is visible.
  5. 5 Sprinkle with pine nuts and bake at 250 degrees for 12 minutes; the filling should still be moist and glossy when removed from the oven.

With an appliance

  • Air fryer 55 min

    Replace step 5: run at 220 degrees for 8 minutes. Since the filling will set faster, drizzle an extra tablespoon of olive oil on the surface before running the timer.