Fatayer
Arab and Levantine stuffed pie
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fatayer (Standard Arabic: فطائر, romanized: faṭāʾir; Levantine Arabic: فطاير, romanized: faṭāyir; sg. فطيرة, faṭīra) are meat pies that can alternatively be stuffed with spinach or cheese such as feta or akkawi.[1] They are part of Arab and Levantine cuisine and are eaten in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt,[2] Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.[citation needed] Fatayer are also popular in Argentina, where they are considered a variety of empanada under the name empanadas árabes (singular form empanada árabe), and in Brazil, where they are known as esfihas fechadas ("closed sfihas", singular form esfiha fechada).
Some fatayer are commonly frozen and reheated prior to eating.[3]
Etymology
Regional variations
Levant
Different combinations of fillings and shapes are used for fatayer. Common fillings include:
- Cheese (such as feta, akkawi or halloumi) with nigella seeds[6]
- Spinach, commonly with sumac and onions; this variant is popular in the Levant and is known as fatayer sabanekh (Levantine Arabic: فطاير سبانخ).[7] Other greens are common fillings as well, like fresh Origanum syriacum,[6] in fatayer made during the winter by Palestinians.[3][8]
- Minced lamb meat and nuts[3]
- Eggs[6]
- Kashk and meat, popular in some Syrian cities[5][9]
- Labneh, popular in Lebanon[2]
A variety of spices may also be used for each variant.[10][3][11] The shapes also vary; some are fully enclosed triangles, while other are shaped like boats with part of the filling exposed.[6] The dough is sometimes unleavened, and can be flavored with spices like mahleb.[6]
Latin America
Empanadas àrabes, or fatay, are a variation of fatayer popular in some Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, and Venezuela.[12][13]
Fatay are triangular, with a filling typically consisting of tomato, onion, and minced meat, and topped with lemon juice. They are sometimes open-faced and sometimes closed; they closely resemble sfiha.[12][13][14]
Fatayer sabanekh
Palestinian fatayer zaatar
Empanadas àrabes, open-faced like sfiha and served with lemons
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