5 simple and delicious esfihas recipes

Find out how to prepare irresistible options to surprise the family

Created in Syria, esfiha has become popular in Lebanon and has conquered the world. Known for its unmistakable flavour, it is prepared with oven-cooked pasta. It’s the perfect snack to serve at parties and family gatherings. It can also be combined with different types of fillings, such as meat, tuna and chicken. With that in mind, we’ve put together 5 homemade esfihas recipes to enjoy over the weekend. Watch!

Minced meat esfiha

ingredients

Pasta

• 1 kg of wheat flour
• 30 g of organic dry yeast
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 125 ml of olive oil soy
• 500 ml of warm water
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• Wheat flour for dusting
• Corn flour for dusting
• Oil for anointing

Filling

• 700 g of minced meat
• 5 chopped tomatoes
• 1 red onion chopped
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Preparation method

Pasta

Place the water, yeast and sugar in a container, mix well and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Then add the wheat flour, soybean oil and salt and mix until you obtain a smooth mixture. Then, sprinkle a surface with wheat flour and knead the dough until it starts to come away from your hands. Let it rest for 10 minutes.

After, divide the dough into two equal parts and form a roll. Using a knife, cut three fingers of dough, sprinkle your hands with corn flour, form a ball with the dough and flatten it with your fingers, leaving the edges high. Repeat the operation with the entire dough. Grease a baking tray with oil, sprinkle with corn flour and place the esfihas on it. Reserve.

Tip: If the dough does not release from your hands, add a little more wheat flour while kneading.

Filling

Place the minced meat, tomatoes, onion, lemon juice, salt and black pepper in a container and mix well. Using a spoon, place a portion of the filling on each sfiha disc and place in a preheated oven at 180°C until golden. Serve immediately.

Tuna stew

ingredients

Pasta

• 3 cups wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons of salt
• 15 g of organic yeast
• 1 cup of warm water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 beaten egg yolk
• Oil for anointing
• Wheat flour for dusting

Filling

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 chopped tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped green chilli
• 360 g of grated tuna in oil
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation method

Pasta

Place the wheat flour, yeast and salt in a container and mix well. Add the water and oil and mix until you obtain a smooth mixture. Then, using a spoon, take a portion of the dough and form a ball. Repeat the operation with all the dough and set aside.

Filling

In a pan, add the olive oil and place over medium heat to heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté. Add the tomato and sauté until wilted. Add salt, black pepper, green chilli and tuna and mix well. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Assembly

Open a ball of dough with the palm of your hand, put a little filling in the center and close it, giving it the shape of a triangle. Repeat the process with the whole dough and filling and set aside. Grease a baking tray with oil and flour it with wheat flour, place the esfihas on top and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Then brush the esfihas with the egg yolk and place them in a preheated oven at medium temperature until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Chicken sfiha

ingredients

Pasta

• 25 g of organic yeast
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 200 ml of soya oil
• 200 ml of warm water
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 600 g of wheat flour
• Wheat flour for dusting

Filling

• 1 kg of chicken breast cooked and cut into pieces
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• Salt, ground black pepper and chopped parsley to taste
• 200 g of milk cream
• 1 drizzle of soybean oil

Assembly

• Oil for anointing
• Wheat flour for dusting
• 1 beaten egg yolk

Preparation method

Pasta

Place the sugar, salt, yeast and chicken broth in a container and mix well. Add the water, oil and wheat and knead until you obtain a smooth dough. Then, sprinkle a smooth surface with wheat flour and knead the dough until it starts to come away from your hands. Then, with the help of a spoon, take some dough and form a ball. Repeat the operation with all the dough and set aside.

Filling

In a pan, add the oil and place over medium heat to heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté. Add the chicken breast, salt, black pepper and parsley and mix well. Finally add the cream and mix until combined with the other ingredients. Reserve.

Assembly

Open a ball of dough with the palm of your hand, put a little filling in the center and close it, shaping the esfiha into a triangle. Repeat the operation with all the dough and filling and set aside. Grease a baking tray with oil and flour it with wheat flour, place the sfihas on top and brush with egg yolk. Bake in a preheated oven at medium temperature until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Cheese esfiha

ingredients

Pasta

• 2 cups wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup warm milk

Filling

• 200 g of Minas cheese

Assembly

• Oil for anointing
• Wheat flour for dusting
• 1 beaten egg yolk

Preparation method

Pasta

In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the oil and warm milk to the dry mixture and mix until a smooth mixture forms. If necessary, add a little more flour to adjust the consistency of the dough. Reserve.

Filling

Cut the cheese into small pieces or tear it with your hands. Reserve.

Assembly

Take some dough and flatten a ball of dough with the palm of your hand, forming a thin disk. Then place a portion of the filling in the center of each disc of dough. Close the dough, shaping the esfiha into a triangle, making sure the filling is well sealed inside the dough. Then, grease a baking tray with oil and flour it with wheat flour. Arrange the esfihas on the baking sheet, leaving a little space between them. Brush the surface of each sfiha with egg yolk. Place in the preheated oven at medium temperature for 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Heart of Palm Sfiha

ingredients

Pasta

• 3 cups wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon organic dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup of warm water

Filling

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 clove of minced garlic
• 300 g chopped hearts of palm
• Salt, chopped parsley and ground black pepper to taste
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Preparation method

Pasta

In a large bowl, mix the wheat flour, dry yeast, sugar and salt. Add vegetable oil and warm water to the dry mixture. Mix well until a homogeneous mass is formed. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and let the dough rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes, until it has doubled in volume. Reserve.

Filling

In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, sautéing until soft and lightly browned. Add the heart of palm in the pan and brown for a few minutes. Season with salt, black pepper and parsley. Add the lemon juice and mix well.

Assembly

Divide the dough into portions of the desired size and roll each into a circle. Place a portion of the heart of palm filling in the center of each circle of dough. Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, forming a closed esfiha. Place the esfihas on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Source: Terra

Ben

Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.