Lebanese Pastries
Created for Little Forest Folk Life by Two Teaspoons
Makes approximately 24
Ingredients:
· 200g plain flour and a bit extra for rolling out
· ½ teaspoon salt
· 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
· 100ml cold water
· 200g feta cheese
· 4 spring onions, finely chopped
· Small bunch flat leaf parsley, snipped with scissors
· Small jar sundried tomatoes
· 1 medium free-range egg, beaten for glazing
· Few grinds of black pepper
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan oven)
To make the pastry, mix the flour and salt in a bowl then rub in the olive oil with your fingertips. Add the water little by little, kneading with your hands until you have a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
In another mixing bowl, crumble the feta cheese and mix it thoroughly with the onion, parsley and black pepper.
Scatter some flour on the work surface and roll out the pastry until it is about 1-2mm thick (it is a forgiving dough to work with so make it as thin as you can as it’ll be tastier and make more). Using a glass or pastry cutter that is 8-10cm in diameter, cut out little circles. You can keep re-rolling the leftover pastry until you have used it all up.
Brush the edge of the circle with water, then put a teaspoon of the feta mixture into the middle and add half a sundried tomato. Fold over the pastry and seal the edges together with a fork.
Paint all the pastries with beaten egg and put them in the oven on a sheet of baking paper to cook for 20 minutes. They are cooked through when they are golden brown. Leave to cool on a wire cooling rack.
These delicate little pastries make a yummy snack as well as a lovely lunch with some salad and dips. They can also be frozen. Defrost thoroughly before eating.
