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Yafawi sfeeha served on a golden platter garnished with arils, parsley, and sumac

Sfeeha Yafawiyeh

Fatimah
Palestinian spiral pies stuffed with seasoned meat and chopped onions. They can be served as a main dish, a snack, or a side dish. Give them a try!
5 from 7 Ratings
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Cook Time 50 minutes
Resting time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Course Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Palestinian

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. 
Keyword Sfeeha Yafawiyeh, Spiral meat pies, Yafawi Sfeeha
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