Turkish Cheesy Fatayer Recipe

Turkish Cheesy Chicken Fatayer Recipe

There are actually three steps involved in making Turkish fatayer. You may feel that process is long but it is not but worth it. Once you will prepare fatayer, you will simply love them. My daughter and my neighbors, with whom I share my plates are fond of fatayer.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon Black Seeds
• Cream cheese to fill the edges of the fatayer.
• 1 teaspoon Allspice ( to sprinkle on top)
• 1 tablespoon melted butter to brush fatayer after baking

 The Dough of Fatayer:

This dough will make 3-4 large fatayer.

• 1and ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
• Lukewarm milk to knead the dough
• 1medium size egg (optional, but I always add and the dough is perfect)
• ½ tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon of powdered milk (optional)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoon olive oil (if you do not have use melted butter or any cooking oil)

Cheese Topping:

• 250g Feta Cheese
• 250g shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 egg (1/2 add in cheese filling and keep half for egg wash to brush the fatayer )
• 1 cup ice cold water

Chicken Filling:

• 1 medium size chicken breast
• 2 tablespoon oil for frying
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• Salt and black pepper (to taste)
• 1 small tomato (finely chopped)
• 1/2 tsp of all ground spice (cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon)
• 1 small bell pepper (cut into small pieces/ cubes)

Directions:

1. Take a large bowl and then add all the dough ingredients and prepare the dough. Do not add all of the milk at once. Slowly and gradually add the milk and see how much you need to prepare a nice dough.
2. Knead the dough, oil it, cover with a damp cloth and leave in a warm place for about 3- 4 hours to rise. Once it is double in size, punch it down and let it rest for about 15 minutes. Your dough is ready to make fatayer, set aside and continue with making the filling.

Filling preparation:

1. On medium-high flame, take a pan and add oil and let it warm. Once warm add tomatoes and sauté for a minute until translucent. Now add chopped tomatoes and stir and cook for about a minute, until the tomatoes will dissolve. Now add chicken, spices, salt, and pepper and cook it, once the water will evaporate and it will be tender then add bell pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Once you will see that oil starts to bubble, the chicken filling is ready.
2. In a bowl and add cold water to it. Now add feta cheese and let it stay for about ten minutes, remove the water. If you feel that there is a lot of milk or the water is milky then you can repeat the process again. Now remove the cheese from cold water, transfer it to a blender, and add half egg and mozzarella cheese. Blend for a couple of minutes. Your cheese topping is ready. If you feel half egg is less to make topping you can add full egg.

Fatayer Assembling:

1. It is time to make fatayer now. Cut dough into 3-4 equal pieces.
2. Make the balls and with the help of rolling pin roll the dough to make an oval shape.
3. If you are perfect enough you can make with hands.
4. Here is a change in my recipe. Add cream cheese, you can add mozzarella cheese as well to the corners of the fatayer and then fold to seal the corners and make the boat shape.
5. Once you will reach the top and bottom edge hold both folded sides and press them together it will create a tip for the boat. You can see the picture.
6. Add chicken filling on top and the final layer will be for the cheese topping that you have prepared. Sprinkle some all spices and black seeds on top. Apply egg wash at the corners and then bake for about 10 – 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 180 degrees.
7. Once ready you can brush with melted butter as well and sprinkle some fresh finely chopped mint or coriander or parsley leaves.

You tasty Turkish Cheesy Fatayer Recipe is ready.