🥙⭐ Premium

Sfiha libanaise

Name: Sfiha libanaise
Prep time: 1 h 40 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 55 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: LB
Ingredients: 500 g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting; 7 g instant yeast (1 packet / 2¼ tsp); 1 tsp sugar; 1½ tsp salt (for the dough); 3 tbsp olive oil (for the dough); 300 ml warm water (about 37°C (98°F)); 500 g ground lamb (or half lamb, half beef); 2 medium onions, very finely chopped; 1 large ripe tomato, very finely chopped; 50 g pine nuts; 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses, plus extra to drizzle; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp olive oil (for the filling); 1½ tsp baharat (Lebanese seven-spice blend); ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ½ tsp Aleppo pepper (optional, or ¼ tsp chili flakes); 1 tsp salt (for the filling); ¼ tsp black pepper

100m

Prépa

15m

Cuisson

Portions

Moyen

Difficulté

Disques de pâte garnis d'agneau haché épicé, d'oignon et de mélasse de grenade, cuits au four jusqu'à ce qu'ils bouillonnent.

#lebanese#lamb#meat-pie#baked#street-food#pomegranate-molasses

Portions

6portions

Ingrédients

Nutrition

calories420

protein20g

carbs38g

fat20g

fiber2g

Par portion

Étapes

Make the dough

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt. Add the olive oil and warm water (it should feel just warm to the touch, about 37°C (98°F) — hot water kills the yeast). Mix, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth, soft and springs back when poked.

500 g flour
7 g instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
1½ tsp salt (for the dough)
3 tbsp olive oil (for the dough)
300 ml warm water

✅ C'est prêt quand : dough is smooth, elastic and springs back when pressed

⏱9:00

Let it rise

Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour, until puffy and roughly doubled in size.

✅ C'est prêt quand : dough has roughly doubled and looks puffy

⏱1:00:00

Mix the filling

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Shape the pies

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Bake until golden

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Serve warm

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Make the dough

500 g flour
7 g instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
1½ tsp salt (for the dough)
3 tbsp olive oil (for the dough)
300 ml warm water

✅ C'est prêt quand : dough is smooth, elastic and springs back when pressed

⏱9:00

Let it rise

Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour, until puffy and roughly doubled in size.

✅ C'est prêt quand : dough has roughly doubled and looks puffy

⏱1:00:00

Mix the filling

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Shape the pies

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Bake until golden

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

Serve warm

This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.

History & Culture

The Story Behind the Dish

📍 Lebanon, part of the wider Levant📅 A tradition many generations old, rooted in the home ovens and bakeries of Lebanon and its neighbors🥙 LB

Sfeeha belongs to a family of open-face meat pies found across the Levant, where flatbreads topped with minced meat have long been a practical way to feed a household or a crowd quickly from a village oven. In Lebanon, the version made with lamb, tomato, pine nuts and the tangy pull of pomegranate molasses became a signature, distinct from the heavier, cheese-topped pies found elsewhere in the region.

For a long time, sfeeha has been tied to communal baking: dough shaped at home, filling spread on top, and the trays carried to a neighborhood oven or bakery to bake quickly at high heat. That rhythm of home preparation and shared ovens is part of why the dish still feels like a neighborhood staple rather than a restaurant specialty.

⭐ Why It's Famous

Sfeeha is famous for packing so much flavor into a small, handheld bite: juicy spiced lamb, sweet-tart pomegranate molasses and a soft chewy base, all finished in minutes under high heat.

💡 Fun Fact

Bakeries in Lebanon often sell sfeeha warm straight from the tray in the morning, alongside other savory baked goods like manaeesh, making it a popular on-the-go breakfast or snack.

🥙