Middle Eastern meat pies are unbeatable, and this Sfeeha Yafawiyeh will surely not disappoint! This authentic Palestinian dish hails from Java but is popular throughout the Middle East. These spiral-shaped meat pies are filled with seasoned meat, toasted pine nuts, and chopped onions.
Sfeeha pies are so delicious that one piece won’t be enough! The flaky outer crust and rich filling will satisfy your palate and leave you wanting more!
Pies Filled With Love 💗
The Sfeeha Addiction
I am warning you! These Palestinian meat pies are SO GOOD you most probably will be addicted. And you have every right to be so.
This is such a flexible recipe, you can switch ingredients around and make it exactly how you like it.
The fact that it’s baked allows you to enjoy a guilt-free moment.
You can’t go wrong with these pies for lunch as a main dish, a side dish, or even as a snack.
It is a crowd-pleaser so make sure to add it to the menu for your next party or gathering.
Your Table’s Main Attraction
Variations You Will Love ✨
One thing that I absolutely love about these meat pies, besides their credible taste, is how versatile they are. They can be stuffed with a variety of fillings and can come in different shapes! For instance, Lahm Bi Ajeen (Lahmacun) is very similar to this sfeeha recipe.
Now when it comes to variations, you can literally stuff it with whatever your heart desires. You can do some vegetables, like spinach for example which is similar to this Spinach Fatayer, the only difference here is the shape since sfeeha yafawiyeh is made into spiral shapes while fatayer has a rectangular form.
Another great choice is cheese. It is such a simple option but will definitely be gone within seconds! This too is somehow similar to these Middle Eastern Cheese Fatayer (Cheese Pies) but the shape differs. Both are delicious though!
For a sweet smack, you can fill your dough with some walnuts.
Happiness Can Be Spiral Shaped!
Tips for The Best Sfeeha Yafawiyeh
Each dough ball needs about 1½ to 2 teaspoons of oil to roll it out.
These meat pies can be served with some yogurt, salad, or a bowl of soup if you like.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
These spiral meat pies can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Yes, you absolutely can. Place them in a single layer in a freezer-friendly container or bag and they should last you around 3 months in the freezer.
Since this pie recipe is super versatile, you can just switch the filling and use whatever fits your diet. To make it vegetarian you can simply stuff it with vegetables or cheese.
If you are in a hurry and you’re looking for a quicker dough recipe, you could use my Ten Minute Multi-Use Dough recipe. Note that the ingredients used in this dough recipe are slightly different from the ones mentioned here and will yield entirely different dough taste and results.
Golden Beauties
Ingredients
For the Dough
Flour
Salt
Oil
Water
For the Meat Filling
Oil
Red onion
80/20 ground beef
Fried pine nuts or silvered almonds
Seasonings: 7 spice, coriander powder, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, sumac, salt.
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Steps To Prep
For The Dough
Start by mixing together the flour and salt, then add the warm water and two tablespoons of oil.
Knead together until a soft dough forms, using an extra 1-2 tablespoons of oil to knead the flour so it isn’t too sticky.
Once done, divide into 10-12 equal balls, and rest on a lightly floured surface, covered in plastic wrap to rest. Rest for a minimum of 1 hour.
As the dough rests, start on the beef filling.
For the Filling
First, add oil to your skillet and heat up before adding the finely diced onion. Sauté for five minutes, until softened and fragrant.
Then, add the beef and break it apart so it stays in small chunks.
Now, add in all the spices and mix well, cooking it for about 7-10 minutes, until browned and no longer pink.
Once done, fry or toast ¼ cup of pine nuts or blanched almonds, add to the beef, and mix. Let it cool before filling the dough.
Once the dough is rested, drizzle 1½ teaspoons of neutral oil onto a clean flat surface.
After that, add 1 doughball to it, and flip it around so the top and bottom have oil.
Now, start spreading the dough around with your hand, you should see it get thinner and thinner as you spread. Spread until the surface you’re working on starts to peek through, but not have the dough ball rip.
At this point, place some beef filling onto the bottom side of the dough and start rolling it like a cinnamon roll. Roll all the way up, then tuck in one end piece before coiling it around each other. It should look like a swirl.
Finally, place into a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400 degrees F for 22-30 minutes, until the bottom is browned and you could broil for more color.
The Final Product Everyone!
Don’t Miss Out On These Recipes:
Crispy Cheese Borek (Turkish Cheese Rolls)
Meat Stuffed Pitas (Palestinian Arayes)
Mediterranean Style Chicken Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Sfeeha Yafawiyeh
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
- ¾ cup water
For the Meat Filling
- 2 tablespoons oil of choice
- 1 medium red onion finely diced
- ¾ pound 80/20 ground beef
- 1 teaspoon 7 spice
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ cup fried pine nuts (or silvered almonds)
Instructions
For the Dough
- Mix together the flour and salt, then add the warm water and two tablespoons of oil.
- Knead together until a soft dough forms, using an extra 1-2 tablespoons of oil to knead the flour so it isn’t too sticky.
- Once done, divide into 10-12 equal balls, and rest on a lightly floured surface, covered in plastic wrap to rest. Rest for a minimum of 1 hour.
- As the dough rests, start on the beef filling.
For the Filling
- Add oil to your skillet and heat up before adding the finely diced onion. Sauté for five minutes, until softened and fragrant.
- Add the beef and break it apart so it stays in small chunks.
- Add all the spices and mix well, cooking it for about 7-10 minutes, until browned and no longer pink.
- Fry or toast ¼ cup of pine nuts or blanched almonds, add to the beef and mix. Let it cool before filling the dough.
- Once the dough is rested, drizzle 1½ teaspoons of neutral oil onto a clean flat surface.
- Add 1 doughball to it, and flip it around so the top and bottom have oil.
- Start spreading the dough around with your hand, you should see it get thinner and thinner as you spread. Spread until the surface you’re working on starts to peek through, but not have the dough ball rip.
- Place some beef filling onto the bottom side of the dough and start rolling it like a cinnamon roll. Roll all the way up, then tuck in one end piece before coiling it around each other. It should look like a swirl.
- Place into a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 400℉ for 22-30 minutes, until the bottom is browned and you can broil for more color.
Notes
- Each dough ball needs about 1½ to 2 teaspoons of oil to roll it out.
- These meat pies can be served with some yogurt, salad, or a bowl of soup if you like.
- If you make 12 pieces, the dough will be thinner and more crispy (my preference).
- You can use my 10 minute dough recipe but that has yeast and baking powder so it will make them rise and puff up while baking and they wont be crispy.
Tried this, but with chicken stuffing instead of beef… But the taste was amazing! So filling and yum. *Chef’s kiss*
I’ve already made these twice because my family loves them so much thank you for the great recipe!
I’ve already made these twice since my family loves them so much thank you for the great recipe!
Amazing amazing recipe 🤩
I’ve tried it several times. My family and I are addicted to it now
These are amazing!! Beautiful recipe, shoukran
Love making these for get togethers- always a favorite!