Directions: |
Directions:For the ageen (dough), mix warm water, yeast and sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes. Add flour, salt and oil. Knead dough until it forms a somewhat oily consistency. Divide dough into small 2” balls. Let rise for one hour.
For the Fatayir filling, Mix together onion, salt and pepper. Add sumac and spinach and mix well. Add oil and lemon juice to mixture.
Roll each ball of ageen and pad into a circle 1/8” in thickness and approximately 4” in diameter. Add one tbsp. of spinach mixture. Fold the dough in toward the middle and seal to form a triangle. Make sure the edges do not get oily or you will not be able to seal them shut. Try to keep the filling to the center of the dough or you will have difficulty forming the triangular shapes.
Brush the top of each piece with oil. Bake in 350° oven for ½ hour or until golden brown.
For the Samboosik, sauté chopped onion in oil. Add ground beef, pine nuts, salt and pepper. Let brown.
Roll each ball of ageen and pad flat to form a circle that is approximately 1/8” in thickness and 4” in diameter. Add one tbsp. of ground beef mixture. Close the dough in a crescent shape. Make sure that you do not get the edges oily or you will have trouble sealing the edges shut. Twist the ends to form a design (see picture). Brush each piece with oil. Bake for ½ hour at 350°.
Note: You can also deep fry the samboosik and fatayir. |
Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: The Arabic word for dough is Ageen. There are many ways to make ageen. For these particular treats, the ageen has to be particularly oily. Whenever my mother made fatayir and samboosik, she would wake up really early and prepare the dough. She liked to give the dough about 1 to 2 hours to rise before she divided it into small pieces.
It always amazed me how Imme knew exactly how much oil to add to the flour because she never used measuring cups or utensils. She always said that you can tell from the texture of the dough if your measurements are correct. Making fatayir and samboosik is definitely time consuming but the taste of these treats is fantastic. These beautiful dumpling-like appetizers were a supplement to all of our holiday dishes.
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This recipe for Fatayir and Samboosik is from