Sfeeha {Syrian Meat Pies}

Free from: dairy, egg, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, beef, mustard, sesame.

Good morning, my beautiful friends. How was your week? Did you do anything special? I was out last night with some of my girlfriends. Albeit a bit more subdued than usual, but I had a great time mingling and catching up with fabulous souls. There was plenty of dancing and foods to please any appetite. The hostess picked a ‘Naughty or Nice’ theme for the night, and we had a gift exchange which was hilarious to say the least. To play up the Vegas mantra: What happens at a girls’ gathering, stays there! You girls know what I’m insinuating. So I’ll leave it at that. :)

Get togethers are a must, especially with friends you like hanging out with. It’s cleansing to your soul and something to look forward to from the everyday mundane routinely things you do.

Before I headed out, I dined on these incredibly juicy and soft Sfeehas {pronounced sfee-ha} I’d made as a result of buying lamb for a dinner that never happened. Our friends had to cancel last minute so instead of letting the meat spoil, I thought to make delicious meat pies for the fam. These wondrous things are famous to Syrian cuisine. They’re essentially meat pies but where it differs is in how thin the bread is. Pair that with juicy, perfectly spiced ground lamb and you have a killer combination. My goodness, it’s so good. And it’s typically served with yogurt, which helps to balance the taste and adds a refreshing tartness that complements the meatiness of the pie. You’d normally fold it in half and dip it into plain yogurt and enjoy. Of course for us, there’s no yogurt involved. It’s still just as good without it, served with some good salad. Eating Sfeehas last night took me back to the times I visited Syria. My cousins and I used to devour them like they were going out of style. The bread falls apart because it’s soaked in the delicious juices of the meat. I love it and miss the experience and the people so much. It was a beautiful Country with kind-hearted, hospitable people who loved to eat and entertain. Hopefully it’ll go back to how it used to be, full of life and positive energy.

Not knowing how my kids would react to this food, I was slightly banking on them telling me it’s not for them. But to my delight, they actually loved it. So much so, that they had a second helping. My food has to pass my kids’ picky taste buds for me to know that it’s a successful recipe {not factoring in foods that probably no kid enjoys – Brussels sprouts for example. There are always exceptions to any rule.} Thankfully, this one delivered. *wiping sweat off forehead*

As always, this is such a simple recipe to try. But don’t just take my word for it {although I’m appreciative that you do. ;) } Make it and see for yourself how quick it can be to have a healthy, wholesome meal in mere minutes. One thing I should mention is that when buying your ground lamb, make sure to buy it with a lot of fat, the more fat the better.  This isn’t the time to factor in your fat intake for the day. Therefore, lean or extra lean meat won’t work for this recipe. Because the bread is so thin, and the meat is resting on top, you don’t want to dry it out and crisp up the bread too much. The fat allows the meat to stay moist and juicy, which in turn allows the bread to remain soft and pliable.

Don’t forget to tag #nodairynocry and @nodairynocry on Instagram when you make one of my recipes. I love seeing all of your fabulous work! Also, be sure to check out No Dairy No Cry on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter, for daily food inspiration pictures. Happy cooking, my friends.

Instruction

1. Preheat oven to 450F and place parchment on large baking sheet. Set aside.

2. Combine very well all Sfeeha ingredients in a large bowl, set aside.

3. In another bowl, combine flour, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

4. Add water and knead dough just until it comes together.

5. Then, add oil and continue kneading until a nice soft dough is achieved.

6. Make dough rounds and spread them thinly onto prepared baking sheet. {using a rolling-pin to achieve maximum thinness is recommended}

7. Place generous amount of prepared filling on top of dough rounds, ensuring you press meat into the dough as you spread.

8. Bake in the oven for 13 minutes, until meat is nicely browned and juices have soaked into dough.

Remove and enjoy immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated up to 3-4 days and re-heated before serving.

Bon appétit! xo