Sfiha baalbakieh, or Lahm b Aajin, is a traditional Lebanese pastry filled with meat. You would usally find or order these at lebanese bakeries. But making them at home is a nice weekend activity, especially if you have kids at home who love to help out in the kitchen and make things with their hands. 

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cooking Time: ~4 hours

Meat Pies (Sfiha Baalbakieh)

Sfiha baalbakieh, or Lahm b Aajin, is a traditional Lebanese pastry filled with meat.

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Prep Time 3 hours hrs

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Lebanese

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Dough Ingredients

• 2 cups flour all purpose
• 1 tbsp active dry yeast
• 1.5 tbsp sugar
• 0.5 cups vegetable oil A neutral oil like sunflower or colza
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp greek yogurt

Filling Ingredients

• 500 g minced beef
• 1-2 tbsp fresh flat parsley finely chopped
• 1 medium-sized onion finely diced
• 1-2 cloves garlic minced
• 2-3 medium-sized tomatoes finely diced
• 1-2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 1-2 tbsp tahina paste
• 0.5 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5-1 tbsp lebanese 7 spices mix
• salt and pepper to taste
• 0.5-1 tbsp chili flakes or paste optional
• pinenuts optional, or for garnish

Other ingredients (for serving)

• lemons or lemon juice
• chili paste/oil/powder
• Greek Yogurt (or Laban ayran)

Equipment

• Oven
• Bowls
• Knife & chopping board
• Measuring spoons/cups
• Mixer optional

Method

 

Making the dough

1. In small bowl, activate 1 tbsp active dry yeast by adding some warm water to it and 1.5 tbsp sugar. Once it starts to bubble, it is ready to be added to the rest of the ingredients.
   1 tbsp active dry yeast, 1.5 tbsp sugar
2. In a larger bowl, mix the dough ingredients together(2 cups flour, 0.5 cups vegetable oil , 1 cup milk and 2 tbsp greek yogurt) with the yeast mix, and knead the dough for at least 10 mins.
3. Let the dough rest for a couple of hours, at least until doubled in size.

Preparing the filling

1. If you have a mixer, you can add the 1-2 tbsp fresh flat parsley and blend it so it’s finely chopped. Otherwise chop it by hand.
2. Similarly, for the 1 medium-sized onion and 2-3 medium-sized tomatoes. However I recommend chopping the onions into fine dices by hand because it gives a nice texture to the meat pies.
3. Once prepared, mix all the filling ingredients (500 g minced beef, 1-2 cloves garlic, 1-2 tbsp pomegranate molasses, 1-2 tbsp tahina paste, 0.5 tbsp ground cinnamon,0.5-1 tbsp lebanese 7 spices mix, and salt and pepper) together, and set aside.

Shaping the Meat Pies

1. Heat your oven at around 200℃
2. Roll the dough you previously prepared on your clean kitchen counter, making sure it is as thin as possible and then using a clean cup, cut the dough into small circles.
3. Place a tbsp of the meat filling over each of the cut dough circles. Then proceeded to create square-shaped pockets by pinching the dough in 4 corners. Press the meat filling down to make sure it is well incorporated inside the dough.
4. Optionally, place a pinenut or two for decoration over each of the meat pies.
5. Bake your meat pies uncovered, at 180℃, for around 20 mins or until the meat is cooked and the dough is nice and golden.

Notes

The meat mixture for this recipe can be made in so many ways but it is essentially made of meat, onions, and parsley with various spices/sauces addition that vary from place to place.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with Lemon wedges, some chili powder, paste or oil, and some greek yogurt (or laban ayran). 

There’s great as a snack, a mezze, a side dish or even to eat on their own as a main dish.