🫓" />

Sfeeha

Lebanese open-faced meat pies on a rich, pillowy dough — baked hot on the lower rack

Section
Syrian-Lebanese
Rise
1½–2 hours
Bake
450°F, lower rack

Ingredients

Dough

  • 5 lb flour
  • 2 packets active dry yeast
  • 1½ oz milk
  • 1½ sticks butter
  • 1–2 cups water
  • 1 cup oil
  • 1½ T sugar
  • 2 T salt
Note: This card covers the dough. The original recipe is a handwritten guide — dough quantities make a large batch.

Original Recipe Card

Sfeeha handwritten recipe card
Handwritten recipe card

Directions

  1. Heat milk and add butter and sugar. Stir until butter melts. Let cool to lukewarm.
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt.
  3. Once the milk mixture is lukewarm, pour into the flour mixture. Add oil and water.
  4. Mix together, then turn out and knead until smooth and elastic.
  5. Cover and let rise 1½ to 2 hours until doubled.
  6. Punch down. Take portions of dough, shape into circles, and top each with meat filling. Let rise again briefly.
  7. Bake at 450°F on the lower rack until golden and cooked through.
Tip: Lower rack at high heat gives the bottom of the sfeeha that characteristic crisp — don't skip it.