Cheese Fatayer

Pide, fatayer, manaeesh – whatever you call these, they are cheesy bites of heaven! It’s basically the Middle Eastern version of cheese bread and it is traditionally eaten for breakfast or as a snack throughout the day!

One of the best memories I have is from back in 2010! I was spending the summer in Libya with my family and both my dad and I were the only two in the house who loved to wake up early. Every morning, we’d walk to the local bakery in the neighborhood and pick up tons of fresh bread and pastries for the family. My favorite item to get every time was these cheese pies. They came fresh out of the oven and just tasted like a warm hug. I’m so excited to share with you how I make them at home now!

Making the Dough

If you have ever made pizza dough, the process for this recipe is very similar! It is pretty easy to make and comes together quickly. There is just a bit of downtime but that gives you an opportunity to prep some other components of the recipe like the cheese filling.

To a large mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, salt, instant yeast, lukewarm water, olive oil, and plain whole milk yogurt. Bring the dough together using a hook attachment on a stand mixer or use a wooden spoon/rubber spatula. You can also knead it by hand. Knead together for about 2 to 3 minutes until you have a soft and elastic dough. It should be a bit sticky but not difficult to handle. If it is too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour and combine as needed.

Transfer the dough to a well-greased bowl, cover, and let it rest in a warm place for an hour or until double in size. In the meantime, while the dough is rising, it is the perfect time to prepare the cheese filling!

The Cheese Filling

The easiest and most delicious part of this recipe is the cheese filling! It tastes so fresh yet rich at the same time and is what makes this dish unique compared to other cheese breads you may have had before.

HERE ARE ALL THE INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:

• mozzarella cheese
• feta cheese
• parsley
• aleppo pepper
• beaten egg
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• dried mint
• black pepper
• nigella seeds

To a mixing bowl, just add all the ingredients and mix together. If you want it to be a bit spicy, add some red pepper flakes. Aleppo pepper is completely mild! You can find it at most Middle Eastern supermarkets but if you’re not able to get your hands on it, swap it for paprika and a dash of cayenne powder.

For the cheese, I love making it with Ackawi cheese which is a white cheese that doesn’t melt well but has a delicious salty taste. Since it is a difficult cheese to find unless you have access to a Middle Eastern market, feta cheese is a great substitute. They both have that salty brine taste which is exactly what we want here.

Assembling & Baking

Once the dough and cheese filling is ready, preheat the oven to 475°F.

After the dough is doubled in size, punch it down and divide it into 12 equal portions. Pinch each piece into a tight round ball.

Stretch each piece out longways and then shape it into an oval/football shape. If you prefer to make these into circular pizzas, you can also do that. You can make the circles as big or as small as you’d like depending on how many pieces you divide the dough into.

Add a generous amount of cheese filling to the center and fold over the left and right sides while pinching the top and bottom to create a shape that looks like a boat. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the edges with milk or heavy cream. Another option is to beat together an egg to make an egg wash and use this to brush the edges. Repeat with the rest until all the dough is used.

Bake in the oven for 11 to 12 minutes until golden brown on the edges. Take out of the oven, allow to cool for a few minutes, and then enjoy warm!

IF YOU HAVE ANY LEFTOVERS, just transfer to a ziploc bag or air-tight container and keep in the fridge. To reheat, pop in the air fryer for a few minutes or toast it on a skillet or in the oven!

Watch How to Make It

OTHER CHEESY RECIPES LIKE THIS TO TRY

• Detroit Style Pizza
• Butter Chicken Naan Pizza
• Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
• Chipotle Steak Quesadilla
• Crispy Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

If you tried this recipe and loved it, drop by down below and let me know how you liked it with a rating and comment! Feel free to also leave a question there about this recipe and I’ll get right back to it.

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