Sometimes called Middle Eastern pizzas, these pies can be made flat, folded into triangles or squares (as pictured at left), or served as puffs, as in this recipe. I especially love the punch they get from the pomegranate molasses, available in Middle Eastern groceries. This recipe is adapted from The Arab Table by May S. Bsisu (William Morrow 2005). You can use 2 pounds of store-bought pizza dough if you don't want to make your own.
Makes 50 pies
Dough
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110 degrees)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
5 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 tablespoons powdered whole milk or buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons plain whole milk or low-fat yogurt
Olive oil
Filling
1/2 pound yellow onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound lean ground lamb or beef
1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped, or one 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
For the dough, combine the yeast, warm water and sugar in a small bowl and stir to dissolve. Set the bowl aside until the mixture is foamy and has doubled in size, about 10 minutes.
Sift the flour, powdered milk, baking powder and salt together into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook . Stir in the eggs and canola oil. Add the yeast mixture, yogurt and 1/2 cup water. Give the mixture a good stir with a wooden spoon. Then mix the dough on medium speed until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 3 minutes. (If the dough sticks, add 1 tablespoon flour.) Raise the speed to high and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 2 minutes.
If you don't have a mixer, sift the flour, salt and baking powder together and dump it in a mound on your work surface. Make a well in the top of the mound. Mix the canola oil and 1/2 cup water into the yeast mixture. Pour a small amount of this mixture into the well, then begin gently mixing, using a fork. Stir the flour into the liquid until it is absorbed. Continue adding liquid and mixing the flour into it until all of the liquid is absorbed. Then knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 7 minutes.
Shape the dough into a ball. Coat your hands and a large glass or ceramic bowl with olive oil, and place the dough in it. Turn the dough so that it is coated all over with oil. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
While the dough rises, prepare the filling. Combine the onions, coriander, allspice, black pepper and salt in a large bowl and mix together with your hands until the onions have absorbed the spices. Add the butter, lamb, tomatoes, cayenne, pine nuts and pomegranate molasses and mix well.
When the dough is ready, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Place one rack in the lower third of the oven, and one in the upper third. Grease two baking sheets generously with olive oil.
Punch down the dough. Pinch off a piece the size of a walnut. Set the ball on a prepared baking sheet and repeat, placing the pieces of dough 1 inch apart until all of the dough is used. Let the balls rest for 10 minutes.
Flatten the balls slightly. Scoop 1 tablespoon of filling into each tartlet, allowing a rim of dough to form around the meat.
When you finish filling one baking sheet, place it on the lower rack in the oven and bake until puffy and brown, about 15 minutes. The next sheet should be ready to go. Place it on the lower rack, and transfer the first sheet to the top rack. Bake until the meat pies on the top are deep golden brown, another 15 minutes. (Each batch should bake 30 minutes total).
Serve immediately on a platter.
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