Sfeeha Yafawiyeh
(Pinwheel Meat Pies)
صفيحة يافاوية
Sfeeha Yafawiyeh (صفيحة يافاوية), or stuffed meat pinwheels, is a meat pie that originates from the coastal Palestinian city of Yaffa (Jaffa). Sfeeha Yafawiyeh is made with a thin dough and stuffed with ground meat, onions, and spices. Traditionally, it's made with ground lamb, but it's just as delicious with ground beef, as well.
What makes Yafawi sfeeha unique are two things - it's pinwheel shape and the fact that it's made with an unleavened dough: just flour and water. It's really that simple! The delicious flavor of the filling comes from the onions and sumac.
Sfeeha Yafawiyeh
صفيحة يافاوية
Servings: 8 meat pies
Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cup warm
1/2 teaspoon salt
Meat Filling:
12 ounces of ground lamb or beef
1 small onion, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons sumac
1/2-3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Olive oil for spreading the dough
Directions:
1) In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the flour and salt. Start by adding the water 1/4 cup at a time while kneading. Knead for 4-5 minutes until the dough comes together into a ball.
2) Divide the dough into 8 equal sized balls. Place in an oiled tray. Cover and let rest for 1 hour.
3) Meat filling: In a pan, heat the olive oil on medium heat. Add the diced onions and sauté until translucent. Add the ground meat and stir in with the onions. Add the sumac, salt, cinnamon and black pepper. Cook until the meat is fully cooked through.
4) To make the meat pies, begin by oiling a flat surface with olive oil. Flatten each dough ball into a 4"x10" rectangle, or as thin as possible. Spread the meat on one end of the dough.
5) Roll the dough into a tight rope, making sure the meat doesn't spill out. Then take one end and begin rolling it into a pinwheel shape.
6) Place each pinwheel on an oiled baking sheet. Brush the top of each meat pie with olive oil.
7) Preheat your oven to 375*F. Bake the sfeeha for 25-30 minutes, or until golden in color.
8) Serve warm with a side salad or yogurt. Sahtain!
These meat pies can be served as an appetizer, snack, or main dish and best served with a side salad and yogurt.