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1
Prepare the pie dough as described on page 137.
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2
For the filling, put the spinach in a colander and press out the water, then squeeze the leaves between your palms to get rid of any remaining liquid.
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3
Coarsely chip the spinach and mix in a bowl with the rest of the filling ingredients.
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4
Punch down and knead the risen dough briefly.
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5
Divide into 4 or 6 balls for easier handling.
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6
When rolling out one ball, keep the remaining ones wrapped in plastic.
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7
Roll out each ball on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin, and keep turning over the dough and dusting underneath with flour so that it does not stick.
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8
Roll out as thinly as possible (the dough is very elastic and springs back).
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9
Cut the sheet into 1 1/2- to 2-inch rounds with a pastry cutter.
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10
Pick up the scraps, roll them into a ball, and roll out again to make more rounds, so as not to waste any dough.
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11
Take each round and roll out again, then pull out and stretch until it is paper-thin and about 3 to 3 1/2 inches in diameter.
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12
Another traditional way is to take walnut-sized lumps of dough, flatten them between your oiled palms, and pull and stretch the dough out as thinly as you can.
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13
To make the pies, take each pastry round, lay it flat on one hand, and put a tablespoon of filling in the middle (1).
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14
Shape into the traditional 3-sided pyramid with a rounded base by lifting up 3 sides (with both hands) and bringing them together over the filling (2).
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15
Pinch the edges together, making thin, ridged joints in the shape of a 3-sided star and closing the pies (3).
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16
Place the pies on a lightly oiled baking sheet and press down a little to flatten their bases.
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17
Bake in a preheated 450F oven for 10 minutes, or until golden.
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18
Make as the preceding recipe, fatayer bi sabanikh, but replace the spinach filling with 1 pound feta cheese mashed with a fork and mixed with a little pepper and 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.
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19
Make as the preceding recipe, fatayer bi sabanikh, but replace the spinach filling with yogurt that has been drained in a cloth until it is a soft creamy cheese (see page 112), mixed with salt, pepper, and a little grated onion.
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20
A Lebanese Lenten specialty is rounds of pie dough (page 137) rolled out thinly, with a handful of cooked chickpeas pressed in.
