Cheese Fatayer (Fatayer bi Jibneh): Lebanese Cheese Pies from Scratch

⏱ Prep: 30 min 🌡️Rise: 1.5 hrs 🔥Bake: 12–15 min 🥧Makes:16

Cheese fatayer, fatayer bi jibneh are the small, golden cheese pies eaten for breakfast at Lebanese and Levantine bakeries every morning, stacked in trays in the window, warm and slightly melted inside. Soft yeasted dough, a filling of akkawi, mozzarella and feta with nigella seeds, folded into triangles or boat shapes and baked at high heat until golden. The kind of thing that makes a table of people reach across each other without apologising.

The dough is the same used for all Lebanese fatayer, spinach, meat and cheese versions all share the same recipe. It is soft, slightly enriched with olive oil and yogurt, and rises in about an hour to a pillowy, workable dough that shapes easily and bakes to a golden, slightly chewy exterior. The filling is where the character of cheese fatayer lives: the combination of akkawi (mild and slightly salty), mozzarella (for the melt and stretch) and feta (for tang and body) produces something that is more interesting than any single cheese alone.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 500g (4 cups) plain flour (all-purpose), plus extra for dusting
• 7g (1 sachet) instant yeast, or active dry yeast dissolved in the warm water first until foamy
• 1 teaspoon sugar, feeds the yeast
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil, enriches the dough and keeps it soft after baking
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, adds a slight tang and produces a softer, more pillowy dough. Full-fat yogurt preferred.
• 250–280ml (1–1¼ cups) warm water, add gradually, the dough should be soft and slightly tacky, not stiff or sticky. The exact amount depends on the flour.

For the cheese filling

• 200g (7oz) akkawi cheese, grated or crumbled, a mild, semi-salty white cheese used throughout Levantine cooking. If your akkawi is very salty (as some packaged versions are), soak in cold water for 30 minutes, changing the water once, then pat dry before using. Available at Middle Eastern grocery stores. Substitute: equal weight of a mild white cheese such as Halloumi (grated) or a mix of ricotta and a little feta.
• 150g (5oz) whole milk mozzarella, grated, provides the melt and stretch that makes cheese fatayer so satisfying. Low-moisture mozzarella (block, not fresh balls) works best, fresh mozzarella releases too much water during baking.
• 80g (3oz) feta cheese, crumbled, adds tang and a slightly more pronounced flavour. If using feta alone the filling can be too sharp, the akkawi and mozzarella balance it.
• 1 tablespoon nigella seeds (black seeds / habbet el baraka), added to the filling and scattered on top. Slightly bitter, onion-like flavour that is characteristic of cheese fatayer. Available at Middle Eastern stores. Substitute: sesame seeds, different flavour but visually similar.
• Small handful fresh mint, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried mint. Optional but traditional in many Lebanese and Syrian versions. Adds a clean, fresh note that cuts through the richness of the cheese.
• 1 egg, binds the filling and helps it set cleanly when baked rather than melting out
• White pepper to taste

For finishing

• 1 egg, lightly beaten, for brushing the fatayer before baking. Produces the characteristic golden, slightly shiny crust. Substitute: olive oil for a more matte finish.
• Extra nigella seeds for scattering over the top

Step by step

1. Make the dough. Combine flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer. Add the olive oil and yogurt and mix through. Gradually add the warm water, mixing as you go, until a soft dough forms. Knead by hand for 8–10 minutes or by stand mixer with a dough hook for 5–6 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky, it should spring back slowly when poked. Rub the surface with a little olive oil, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for 1–1.5 hours until doubled in size. The yogurt in this dough is a Syrian/Levantine addition that produces a noticeably softer, more pillowy result than a plain flour-water-yeast dough. If you don’t have yogurt, replace with an equal amount of warm water, the dough will still be excellent, just slightly less rich.
2. Make the cheese filling. If soaking the akkawi, do so now, 30 minutes in cold water, then drain and pat completely dry. Combine all filling ingredients in a bowl: akkawi, mozzarella, feta, nigella seeds, mint, egg and white pepper. Mix until combined. Taste, it should be savoury, slightly salty and aromatic. Adjust with a little more feta for saltiness or more mozzarella to mellow it. Set aside.
3. Divide and roll the dough. Preheat the oven to 220°C / 425°F. Line two large baking trays with parchment paper. Punch down the risen dough gently. Divide into 16 equal pieces, each roughly 50–55g. Shape each piece into a smooth ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a circle about 10–12cm across and 3–4mm thick.
4. Fill and shape, two methods.Triangle shape (the most common Lebanese bakery method): Place 1–1.5 tablespoons of filling in the centre of each circle. Fold one side up to the centre. Fold the second side up to meet the first. Fold the third side up to complete the triangle. Pinch all three seams firmly together, pressing hard at the three corner points where the seams meet, these are the weakest points and where cheese most commonly leaks during baking. Boat/canoe shape (Syrian/Levantine method): Roll each ball into an oval rather than a circle. Place 2–3 tablespoons of filling down the centre. Pinch both short ends together firmly. Bring the two long sides up slightly to form the boat walls, the filling is visible in the open centre. Do not overfill, too much filling prevents the seams from closing and the cheese spills out during baking and burns on the tray. 1–1.5 tablespoons is the right amount for the triangle. The seam pinch must be very firm, press and twist each seam junction to seal completely.
5. Second proof. Place the shaped fatayer on the lined trays, spaced 3cm apart. Cover loosely with a damp cloth and leave for 15–20 minutes. This short second proof gives the dough a final puff that produces a lighter, softer result. Do not skip, fatayer baked without the second proof are noticeably denser.
6. Egg wash and bake. Brush each fatayer generously with the beaten egg, including the sides. Scatter nigella seeds over the top. Bake at 220°C / 425°F for 12–15 minutes until deep golden with the characteristic golden-brown crust. The filling should be fully melted and just beginning to colour at the edges. High heat for a short time is the correct approach, it produces the golden exterior while keeping the interior soft and the cheese properly melted rather than dried out. Check at 12 minutes; all ovens vary.
7. Eat warm. Serve immediately from the oven while the cheese is still molten and the dough is at its softest. Fatayer cool and harden within 20–30 minutes, they are best eaten fresh. Reheat in a 180°C oven for 5 minutes, not the microwave, which makes the dough rubbery.

Claire’s note

The seam is everything. A fat layer with improperly sealed seams loses most of its cheese onto the baking tray in the first five minutes of the oven, leaving an empty dough pocket and a burnt cheese puddle. Pinch firmly at every seam junction, twist the corner points between your fingers and press hard enough that the dough bonds to itself rather than just touching.

Then, and this is the step most recipes omit, press the sealed corner points down against the tray as you place the fatayer. The weight of the fatayer sitting on the sealed seam helps hold it closed as the dough puffs in the oven. Start with the triangle shape if this is your first time, it has fewer corners to seal than it looks and the geometry keeps the filling contained better than the boat shape while you’re learning.

Serve with

Cheese fatayer are a Lebanese and Levantine breakfast food, eaten with strong black tea, fresh cucumber and tomato slices, olives and labneh. They also work as part of a mezze spread alongside hummus, baba ganoush and labneh. For the spinach version using the same dough: see the spinach fatayer recipe. The complete Lebanese recipes collection has everything from this cuisine.

Add cheese fatayer to your weekly meal planner as a weekend bake, make a double batch, freeze the unbaked shaped fatayer on a tray, then bake from frozen at 220°C for 18–20 minutes whenever needed.

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Cheese Fatayer

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• Author: Claire Bennett
• Total Time: 105 minutes
• Yield: 16 servings 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Delicious small cheese pies filled with a mix of cheeses, perfect for breakfast or as part of a mezze spread.

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Ingredients

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• 500g (4 cups) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7g (1 sachet) instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 250–280ml (1–1¼ cups) warm water
• 200g (7oz) akkawi cheese, grated or crumbled
• 150g (5oz) whole milk mozzarella, grated
• 80g (3oz) feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon nigella seeds
• Small handful fresh mint, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 egg
• White pepper to taste
• 1 egg, lightly beaten (for brushing)
• Extra nigella seeds for scattering

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Instructions

1. Make the dough: Combine flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add olive oil and yogurt, then gradually add warm water until a soft dough forms. Knead for 8–10 minutes, then let rise for 1–1.5 hours.
2. Make the cheese filling: Prepare akkawi if needed, then combine it with mozzarella, feta, nigella seeds, mint, egg, and white pepper. Mix until combined.
3. Divide and roll the dough: Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F). Divide the dough into 16 pieces and roll each into a circle.
4. Fill and shape: Place filling in the centre, fold and pinch to seal securely.
5. Proof again: Place on lined trays and let rest for 15–20 minutes.
6. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with nigella seeds. Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden.
7. Serve warm and enjoy!

Notes

Ensure the seams are well sealed to prevent cheese from leaking during baking. Best served fresh, but can be reheated.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Category: Snack
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Lebanese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 pie
• Calories: 280
• Sugar: 1g
• Sodium: 500mg
• Fat: 10g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 33g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 9g
• Cholesterol: 70mg