Description

Ingredients

• For the dough
• 🥣 350 g all-purpose flour (2¾ cups / 12.3 oz)
• 🧂 7 g instant dry yeast (2¼ tsp / 0.25 oz)
• 🧂 10 g sugar (2 tsp / 0.35 oz)
• 🧂 8 g fine sea salt (1½ tsp / 0.28 oz)
• 🥛 80 ml plain yogurt, room temperature (⅓ cup / 2.7 fl oz)
• 💧 200 ml warm water, 35–38°C (¾ cup / 6.8 fl oz)
• 🫗 45 ml neutral oil (3 tbsp / 1½ fl oz)
• For the lamb filling
• 🥩 400 g ground lamb (about 3 cups / 14.1 oz)
• 🧅 60 g onion, very finely minced (½ cup / 2.1 oz)
• 🧄 4 g garlic, crushed (1 clove / 0.14 oz)
• 🌰 40 g pine nuts (¼ cup / 1.4 oz)
• 🫒 15 ml olive oil (1 tbsp / ½ fl oz)
• 🧂 5 g sea salt (¾ tsp / 0.18 oz), or to taste
• ⚫ 2 g freshly ground black pepper (½ tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🌿 4 g ground allspice (1 tsp / 0.14 oz)
• 🌿 2 g ground cinnamon (½ tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🍅 15 g tomato paste (1 tbsp / 0.5 oz)
• 🍋 15 ml lemon juice (1 tbsp / ½ fl oz)
• 🍇 15 ml pomegranate molasses (1 tbsp / ½ fl oz)
• For finishing
• 🥚 1 egg, lightly beaten (for brushing the edges)
• 🌾 5 g sesame seeds (1 tsp / 0.18 oz), optional

Preparation

• Activate the yeast
  In a small bowl whisk warm water, sugar and yeast until dissolved. Let stand for 5–10 minutes, until a light foam appears on top.
• Make the dough
  In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture, yogurt and neutral oil. Mix with a spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then knead 8–10 minutes on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.
• First rise
  Form the dough into a ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 50 minutes, until almost doubled in size.
• Toast the pine nuts
  While the dough rises, toast pine nuts in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and lightly golden. Transfer immediately to a plate to cool so they don’t burn.
• Mix the lamb filling
  In a large bowl combine ground lamb, minced onion, garlic, toasted pine nuts, olive oil, salt, pepper, allspice, cinnamon, tomato paste, lemon juice and pomegranate molasses. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until everything is evenly distributed without overworking the meat. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• Divide the dough
  Punch down the risen dough and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Divide into 20 equal pieces and roll each into a tight ball. Cover with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
• Shape the bases
  Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Working one piece at a time, flatten each ball with your fingers into a small round about 7–8 cm in diameter (2¾–3⅛ in), keeping the center slightly thinner and the rim a bit thicker to hold the filling. Arrange the rounds on the prepared trays.
• Fill the sfeeha
  Place about 1 tbsp of lamb filling in the center of each dough round. Gently spread it to the edges in a thin, even layer, leaving just a tiny border of dough visible. Press lightly so the filling adheres well and doesn’t shrink while baking.
• Brush edges and sprinkle
  Brush the exposed dough edges with beaten egg. If using, sprinkle sesame seeds over the rims for extra crunch and aroma.
  🔟 Bake
  Bake at 220°C (428°F) for 15–18 minutes, rotating trays halfway through, until the dough is deep golden and the lamb topping is cooked through and sizzling at the edges.
• Rest before serving
  Let the sfeeha rest on a wire rack for 5 minutes so the juices settle and the bottoms stay crisp. Serve warm with extra lemon wedges and an optional drizzle of pomegranate molasses.

Total Time

⏱️ Prep: 35 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 18 min
🛋️ Rest: 60 min
⏰ Total: 113 min

Nutritional Value

Advice

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