SPINACH TURNOVERS (FATAYER)

INGREDIENTS (Makes 6)
All-purpose flour-1 cup
Olive oil(extra-virgin)-3 tblsp.
Salt-1/4 tsp.
Onion-1(finely chopped)
Spinach-1 bunch(chopped)
Lemon juice-1 tblsp.
Pine nuts-1 tblsp.(optional)
Sumac-1 tblsp.*
Pepper-1/2 tsp.
Salt-to taste

METHOD

1.In a bowl, sieve/combine the flour with salt and make a well in the center and add 2 tblsp. olive oil and combine well with fingers until flour is evenly moist.

2.Add about 1/3 cup water and combine till a rough dough forms, if the dough seems too dry add 1-2tblsp. of water.Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 mins.

3.Turn the dough on a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes until smooth. Cut the dough into 6 pieces and cover with a wet cloth.

4.In another bowl, toss the finely chopped onion,add in the spinach and pine nuts and drizzle lemon juice and 1 tblsp. olive oil and combine well. Add salt, pepper and sumac.

5.Preheat oven to 450 F/gas mark 8.Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

6.While oven is heating, roll out each piece of dough to a 6 inch round i.e. about 1/8 inch thick.

7.Spoon about 1-2 tblsp. spinach mixture onto the centre of the round and pick three sides of the dough together like a pyramid and squeeze the joins to seal together. You can leave sealing at the centre for the filling to show n the middle.

8.Bake for about 20 minutes and turn the grill on for 5 minutes until lightly coloured on top.You can also brush lightly with an egg for a golden glaze like the ones in the photos.

Serve warm or at room temperature with labneh or chilly garlic ketchup.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

1.You can change the filling to whatever you desire. Some ideas are chicken, spinach and feta cheese, beef mince etc.

2.You can also cook the spinach slightly by sauteing in oil onions,spinach,spices and adding lemon juice but be sure to squeeze out excess moisture and brush insides with butter to avoid a soggy fatayer.

3.Be sure not to over cook as it might turn out hard. Also after cooking, this can be refridgerated for 2 days and reheated at 375 F oven.

*Sumac is a powdered tangy spice from sumac berries used widely in mediterranean cuisine. It has a lemony flavour and no substitute for it.