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Egypt, Middle East and Africa

Feteer Meshaltet

Egypt's flaky layered pastry: dough stretched paper-thin, brushed with plenty of ghee, folded and baked, served with honey, white cheese and molasses-tahini.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time50 min
Resting the dough+ 30 min
DifficultyMedium

Method

  1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl and add the lukewarm water a little at a time until it comes together. Knead on the counter for into a very soft, smooth, slightly tacky dough, about as soft as an earlobe. If it feels stiff, add water 1 tsp at a time. A soft dough is what lets it stretch thin.

    Add in this stepPlain flour 250 gSalt ½ tspLukewarm water 150 ml

  2. Divide the dough into 2 equal piece(s) and roll into balls. Put them on an oiled plate and turn to coat them all over with the oil. Cover and rest for . This rest relaxes the gluten so the dough stretches without tearing.

    Add in this stepVegetable oil (to coat the dough) 2 tbsp

  3. Preheat the oven to 220 °C for and melt the ghee gently. It should be warm, not hot, so you can brush it comfortably.

    oven

  4. Spread the oil left on the plate over the counter, put a ball on it and flatten it with your palm. With oiled fingers, lift the edges and pull outwards a little at a time all around until the dough is thin enough to see through, about 50 cm across. Small holes are fine. Brush generously with melted ghee and fold the four sides into the middle to make a square parcel about 15 cm wide. If you have more balls, stretch the next one the same way, brush with ghee, set the folded square in the middle and fold it around to add layers (for 4 servings, wrap them in pairs to make two pastries).

    Add in this stepGhee (samna), melted 53 g

  5. Place it seam-side down in a 20 cm pan or on a baking tray and press gently with your fingertips to spread it to the size of the pan. Brush the top with all the remaining ghee.

    Add in this stepGhee (samna), melted 23 g

  6. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for , until puffed and deep golden on top and underneath. If the base is still pale, move it to the bottom shelf for 3–4 more minutes.

    oven

  7. Cool for about 3 minutes, then cut into wedges like a pizza. Serve with honey and white cheese, and mix the molasses with the tahini for dipping. It should be crisp outside with soft, buttery layers inside.

    Add in this stepHoney 2 tbspFeta or salty white cheese 60 gMolasses (cane honey) 2 tbspTahini 2 tbsp

Cook's tip

If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest another 5 minutes. Melted butter works instead of ghee, but its water makes the pastry less crisp. Reheat leftovers in the oven or a dry pan to bring back the crunch.

Cooking it at camp

Stretch and fold the pastry at home and freeze it. At the campsite, cook it in a lidded cast-iron pan on low heat for 8–10 minutes per side. It puffs less than in an oven but is still crisp and rich.