This a tasty Middle Eastern snack that looks like our regular puffs or potato bun. However, this Baked pastry with cheese and za'atar is extremely soft and fluffy and has delicious vegetable or meat fillings inside. This special snack is an unavoidable dish for the iftar in most Middle Eastern countries. Here is how you could make it at home.
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
Baking soda
Carrot
Potato
Green peas
Onion
Beans
Bell pepper
Tomato
(The veggies must be finely chopped)
Turmeric powder
Chilli powder
Za'atar (Generally a combination of dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, sumac and toasted sesame seeds)
Meat masala powder
Salt as required
Preparation
Mix the baking soda in the all-purpose flour
Add some water and knead into a soft dough
Keep aside for 15 – 20 minutes
Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onions
Now add the remaining veggies
Cook with the lid on
After some time, add turmeric powder, chilli powder, meat masala powder, za'atar and salt
Cook well until the vegetable mix is nice and dry
Make balls from the dough and roll them into sheets
Cut 10 pieces of triangles from the dough sheet
Place a spoon full of the filling in each triangular piece
Cover them using another triangular piece of dough
Seal the edges using all-purpose flour mixed in water
Give them an egg wash
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes at 20 degree Celsius in an oven
You could also have a chicken filling instead of veggies
Cook boneless chicken pieces with some turmeric powder and salt
Sauté onions and tomatoes
Add the chicken masala
Add the shredded chicken
Mix well
Cook on low flame
Place this mixture in each triangular-shaped dough pieces
Bake as mentioned above.