Sfeeha

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 250°C and place a heavy baking tray or pizza stone inside to heat. In a bowl, mix the strong white bread flour, instant yeast, fine salt, and sugar. Add the olive oil and warm water, then knead for 5-6 minutes until you have a smooth, slightly tacky dough. Cover and let it rest for 10 minutes; this short rest helps the gluten relax so the rounds are easier to shape within the time limit.

   180 g strong white bread flour3 g instant yeast3 g fine salt4 g sugar10 g olive oil115 g warm water
2. 2

   While the dough rests, finely dice the tomato and onion. If the tomato is very juicy, squeeze it lightly so the topping stays concentrated rather than watery. Roughly chop the pine nuts and finely chop the parsley.

   120 g tomato70 g onion20 g pine nuts5 g fresh parsley
3. 3

   Make the topping by combining the ground lamb, diced tomato, onion, pine nuts, tomato paste, olive oil, allspice, ground cinnamon, ground black pepper, fine salt, and lemon juice. Mix thoroughly with your hand or a spoon until the seasonings are evenly distributed and the mixture looks cohesive. The mixture should be moist but not loose; if liquid pools at the bottom, mix again to bind it into the meat.

   180 g ground lamb120 g tomato70 g onion20 g pine nuts12 g tomato paste10 g olive oil1 g allspice0.5 g ground cinnamon0.5 g ground black pepper3 g fine salt10 g lemon juice
4. 4

   Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, flatten each ball into an oval or round about 10-12 cm wide and 5 mm thick. Transfer to baking paper. Spread a thin, even layer of lamb topping over each piece, leaving a small border. Press the topping on firmly so it adheres and cooks evenly.

   180 g strong white bread flour180 g ground lamb
5. 5

   Slide the sfeeha, with the baking paper, onto the hot tray or stone and bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are golden and the lamb is fully cooked. The topping should look set and lightly browned in spots, and the bread should be crisp underneath. If needed, rotate once for even color.

6. 6

   Let the sfeeha stand for 2 minutes so the juices settle slightly. Spoon over or serve alongside the plain yogurt, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot. A squeeze of extra lemon at the table is optional.

   60 g plain yogurt5 g fresh parsley

Origin & History

Sfeeha is a Levantine meat-topped bread widely associated with Lebanon, Syria, and neighboring regions, with many local variations in shape and seasoning. In Lebanon it is often made as a small open-faced pastry topped with spiced minced meat, sometimes enriched with tomato, pomegranate molasses, or pine nuts, and served as part of mezze or as a street snack.