If I’d been asked a few weeks agone what I knew almost Lebanese nutrient , I would convey said that I didn’t actually know anything. It turns out , I’ve been enjoying the flavors of Lebanese cooking for years without fifty-fifty realizing it. I received a review re-create of the novel mass Comptoir Libanais: H5N1 Feast of Lebanese-Style Home Cooking yesteryear Tony Kitous in addition to Dan Lepard in addition to started learning a affair or 2 almost this wonderful food. Kitous opened the London restaurants Comptoir Libanais to part Lebanese civilisation through the nutrient , the expect in addition to experience of the dining rooms , in addition to the blueprint of every special seen throughout. He laid out to create “something that wasn’t pretentious but inviting , uncomplicated , in addition to that had something for everyone.” I’d love to see 1 or several of the locations. H5N1 mix of mezze dishes similar Tabbouleh , Fattoush , Labneh alongside Black Olives in addition to Mint , Sambusak turnovers , in addition to Falafel mightiness live institute on the tables. Some of my favorite ingredients similar halloumi in addition to feta cheeses , pomegranate seeds in addition to pomegranate molasses , in addition to sumac in addition to za’atar figure prominently inwards many of the recipes. I can’t hold back for ripe , summertime tomatoes to work inwards the Comptoir Tomato in addition to Halloumi Salad in addition to zucchini to plough into crispy fritters. So far , I’ve tried the Bulgur Salad alongside Peas in addition to Mint which is a expert selection for wintertime since it’s topped alongside pomegranate seeds in addition to tin flame live made alongside frozen peas. Like classic tabbouleh , this salad is every bit much or to a greater extent than therefore almost the mint in addition to parsley every bit it is the bulgur. Next , I tried the Fatayer alongside Cheese in addition to Spinach which are filled , savory pastries. They’re made alongside Sambusak Pastry that’s similar pizza dough minus the yeast. The dough is real tardily to move alongside , in addition to it’s used for a few dissimilar recipes inwards the book. 

To commencement , H2O , flour , olive crude , dear , in addition to tabular array salt were stirred together inwards a bowl. It was laid aside to residue for almost 10 minutes , in addition to therefore it was kneaded until smooth. The dough easily goes from ragged to smoothen spell kneading. At this indicate , the dough tin flame live refrigerated until you’re gear upward to brand the pastries , or it needs to live laid aside for an hr to residue earlier using. Next , spinach was cooked inwards olive crude until wilted in addition to therefore drained , cooled , in addition to squeezed to take away excess moisture. The cooked spinach was chopped in addition to therefore combined alongside toasted chopped walnuts in addition to pomegranate molasses. The dough was divided into small-scale pieces , in addition to I aimed for twenty pieces which was the issue this recipe was intended to make. The dough pieces were rolled into balls in addition to left on an oiled plate. One slice of dough at a fourth dimension was rolled into a circle , in addition to a spoonful of spinach filling was placed inwards the center. The edges of the dough circle were rubbed alongside H2O , in addition to the dough was pinched upward around the filling forming 3 points alongside the pump left open. Once all the dough circles were filled in addition to crimped , the cheese was added on top. I used a mix of grated halloumi in addition to crumbled feta. The cheese mixture was spooned into the opening of each pastry , in addition to therefore they were topped alongside dark onion , or nigella , seeds. The pastries baked for almost thirty minutes until golden in addition to crisp on the edges. 

As an choice , mozzarella tin flame live used inwards house of the halloumi. That would convey made the filling to a greater extent than melty in addition to gooey inwards a delicious agency , but I tin flame never resist the salty flavour of halloumi. These piffling savory pastries were crunchy alongside crisp edges on the exterior in addition to the nuts inwards the filling. The pomegranate molasses added but the correct amount of tanginess in addition to interest. Like all of the dishes inwards the mass , this was perfect for sharing alongside a grouping or serving at a party. And , since the Breakfast chapter has caught my oculus , it mightiness live fourth dimension to conception a brunch party.

Fatayer alongside Cheese in addition to Spinach 
Recipes reprinted alongside publisher’s permission from Comptoir Libanais: H5N1 Feast of Lebanese-Style Home Cooking yesteryear Tony Kitous in addition to Dan Lepard. Copyright © Tony Kitous in addition to Dan Lepard , 2013. Published on Nov xix , 2014 yesteryear The Overlook Press , Peter Mayer Publishers , Inc. www.overlookpress.com. All rights reserved. 

Fatayer are commonly triangular-shaped pastries , either sealed at the top or left open. Sealing the edges of the pastry at the top protects the filling therefore it’s perfect or y'all tin flame exit the top opened upward the agency nosotros practise at Comptoir in addition to pinch the edges of the filled fatayer to shape a triangular shape every bit inwards the photograph here. If y'all sprinkle a deep layer of cheese on top earlier baking , whatever filling underneath is protected from the oestrus of the oven , allowing the pastry to live crisp but the filling soft. 

Makes almost twenty small-scale fatayer 

1 recipe Sambusak Pastry 
flour or crude , for rolling the dough 

for the filling: 
2 tbsp olive oil 
1 pound (500g) babe spinach 
1/2 loving cup (50g) walnuts , chopped 
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses 
5 ounces (150g) halloumi or mozzarella , drained in addition to grated or finely chopped 
5 ounces (150g) feta cheese , crumbled 
small bunch fresh mint , leaves entirely , chopped 
black onion (nigella) seeds or za’atar , to finish 

Start yesteryear preparing in addition to resting your dough (see p. 82). Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan/gas 4). Line a few baking sheets alongside parchment paper. 

Make the filling yesteryear heating the olive crude inwards a large frying pan until smoking hot , therefore add together the spinach in addition to child chop-chop until it but begins to wilt. Tip the spinach into a colander in addition to laid aside to cool , therefore squelch the cooked spinach every bit difficult every bit y'all tin flame to take away the liquid. Chop the spinach , therefore house it inwards a bowl alongside the walnuts in addition to pomegranate molasses , in addition to mix well. 

Chop the dough into small-scale pieces , almost the size of an unshelled walnut , therefore shape these into balls in addition to laid aside to residue on an oiled plate , covered , for fifteen minutes (this makes rolling easier). Roll out each dough ball on a lightly floured or oiled surface to almost 3 inches (8cm) wide. Place a heaping teaspoon of the spinach filling inwards the pump of 1 , therefore alongside the tips of your fingers rub a piffling H2O around the bare edges of the dough. At 3 equal points , delineate the dough upward 1/2 to 3/4 inch (1 to 2cm) in addition to pinch the dough together to seal — y'all should convey created a protruding border around the filling. 

Spread the cheese over the filling , therefore top alongside a pinch of mint , sprinkle alongside the dark onion seeds or za’atar , in addition to house on the lined baking sheets. Repeat alongside the remaining dough in addition to filling , therefore bake for almost thirty minutes , until crisp in addition to golden , rotating the baking sheets if 1 batch looks similar it is browning to a greater extent than quickly.

Sambusak or fatayer pastry 
Little pastries filled alongside a diverseness of ingredients , from chopped herbs in addition to soft cheese to meat , walnuts , or chicken , tin flame live institute throughout the Arab earth , nether dissimilar names. These cheeky piffling savory parcels convey a delicious filling tucked within in addition to tin flame live served either hot or cold. They freeze good , in addition to because they’re therefore small-scale they tin flame live reheated easily. You desire a flour that produces a dough that stretches easily , in addition to breadstuff flour volition practise that. However , this tin flame brand the pastries a piffling tough in addition to non every bit tender every bit the ones nosotros convey at Comptoir. If y'all desire to experiment , work one-half breadstuff flour in addition to one-half all-purpose flour or one-half Italian pasta flour , every bit this volition give a to a greater extent than tender result. 

Makes 12 ounces (350g) dough 

1/2 loving cup (125ml) warm water 
1 1/2 cups (200g) breadstuff flour , addition extra for kneading 
1 1/2 tbsp (25ml) olive oil 
1 tbsp superfine saccharide or clear honey 
1 tsp salt 

Pour the H2O into a bowl , therefore add together the flour , olive crude , saccharide or dear , in addition to tabular array salt in addition to mix everything together well. Aim for a firm-ish dough , adding to a greater extent than H2O or flour to acquire the texture y'all want. Cover the bowl alongside plastic twine , laid aside for 10 minutes , in addition to therefore lightly knead the dough. Return it to the bowl , encompass 1 time to a greater extent than , therefore laid aside for almost 1 hr at room temperature in addition to it’s gear upward to use. If y'all desire to brand the dough ahead of fourth dimension , y'all chill it at this indicate , therefore exit it at room temperature for 1 hr earlier shaping. 

Some basic tips for making the best pastries: ringlet the dough real sparse , otherwise y'all destination upward alongside every bit good much pastry surrounding the filling. I work a piffling flour , every bit crude sometimes stops the edges from sealing firmly , but figure out what industrial plant best for you. The dough volition continue good inwards the refrigerator for a few days , in addition to gets easier to ringlet , but it volition alter coloring in addition to acquire slightly gray. This is but the flour oxidizing in addition to it won’t impact the flavor. You tin flame also freeze the dough. Simply thaw it in addition to provide it to room temperature earlier using.