Cheese Fatayer

Step 1

Mix together your yeast, sugar, warm water, and flour in a bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Step 2

After 10 minutes, add the rest of your flour (1 1/2 cups), salt, and olive oil to your sponge.

Step 3

Take a large wooden spoon and roughly combine dough ingredients.

Step 4

Now, you can use a stand mixer - but if you don't have one, with lightly oiled hands, knead your dough for 8-10 minutes on a clean and oiled work surface until smooth.

Step 5

Don't add any extra flour to this recipe. The dough will start off quite sticky, but after several minutes of kneading the dough on an oiled work surface - it will eventually come together beautifully.

Step 6

By limiting the amount of extra flour we add to the dough, we will be able to create a very fluffy, as well as airy bread for our cheese pies.

Step 7

Next, separate your dough into 10 dough balls (each around 62-65 grams in weight). Cover with a damp towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Step 8

After 10 minutes, lightly sprinkle flour on your work surface. Roll out each dough ball about a half an inch thick.

Step 9

Once you've rolled out your dough - its time to build the crust.

Step 10

Add a light amount of freshly grated mozzarella to the edges of your dough ( just plain mozzarella, not the filling we made). Start folding your dough over the mozzarella, pressing down to seal the edges. Watch video above for guidance.

Step 11

Fold the edges of your crust into a diamond shape, pinching the top and bottom of your dough to enforce the shape even more.

Step 12

Preheat oven to 425°f (218°C)

Step 13

Add your stuffed, and shaped dough to a lined baking sheet.

Step 14

Brush egg wash on your crust, and brush garlic butter in the center of your dough.

Step 15

Fill your cheese pies with your cheese filling. Be generous! Your cheese mixture should be completely used up after filling your last cheese pie.

Step 16

Bake for 25-30 minutes. Every oven preforms differently, keep a close eye on them. You want the bottom of your pies, as well as your crust, to be beautifully golden.

Step 17

Remove from the oven and allow your Cheese Fatayer to cool for a couple minutes.

Step 18

Serve fresh with a nice cup of tea, and anything else you may enjoy!

Step 19

Cover any left over cheese pies tightly, or store them in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for a couple days, or in the refrigerator for about a week.