Spinach Fatayer (Hand Pies)

Spinach Fatayer (or Fatayer Sabenekh) are delicious spinach-stuffed pastry triangles! These traditional Middle Eastern hand pies are filled with a tangy spinach and onion mixture wrapped in soft, homemade yeasted dough. They bake up golden and flavorful, perfect for a mezze spread or as a savory snack.

My Mom’s Spinach Fatayer, Just like she Made Them

This was my absolute favorite kind of hand pie growing up. My mom would have dedicated “pie baking days” when she’d bake up a storm of savory hand pies inspired by both our Middle Eastern and Russian roots. These spinach fatayer were always part of the mix, alongside her cheese-filled version and another one with spiced ground meat. Then came the Russian-style hand pies “piroshki” stuffed with sautéed cabbage or mashed potatoes. It was a day full of flour, fillings, and the best smells.

There are many variations of fatayer, and every family has their own way. Some sauté the spinach and onion together, and while I’ve tried that, I always come back to my mom’s way, keeping the spinach and onion raw for a fresher, brighter filling. Some versions even use a bit of pomegranate molasses, but I prefer the simpler, tangy mix of sumac and lemon juice. The dough here is the same one we use for manakish, soft, fluffy, and reliable. For fatayer, I roll it thinner, and my recipe makes sure that you get just the right balance of dough to filling.

We always loved eating these pies with sweetened black tea, which is such a typical pairing across the Middle East. To this day, I don’t usually put sugar in my tea, but if I’m having it with fatayer, I absolutely want that sugar. Something about the savory pies and sweet tea just goes together perfectly.

Ingredient Notes

• All-Purpose Flour, Instant Yeast, and Warm Water: The base of our fatayer dough. To properly activate the yeast, be sure that your water is somewhere between 120°F-130°F (49°C-55°C).
• Salt, Sugar, and Olive Oil: To give the dough flavor. Have a bit of extra oil on hand to oil the bowl while the dough is rising.
• Fresh Spinach: Chop the spinach leaves into rough pieces before salting them and squeezing out as much excess moisture as possible. I don’t make these with frozen spinach, but it will work if that’s what you have.
• Yellow Onion: We’ll rub the chopped onion with black pepper for flavor. Freshly ground black pepper is best.
• Sumac and Lemon Juice: Sumac is a spice used in many Middle Eastern dishes. It is earthy, bright, and tart, and this flavor is intensified by the addition of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
• Egg: Before baking, brush the tops of the hand pies with beaten egg to promote browning.

Recipe Tips

• Removing as much liquid from the veggies as you can is the key to making the best hand pies that aren’t soggy or heavy. Take your time to really squeeze the spinach filling after it’s been salted so that it’s as dry as possible.
• This fatayer recipe makes 24 appetizer-sized pastries. You can adjust the recipe to make larger or smaller fatayer if you’d like.
• Double or triple the recipe as needed – baked fatayer will keep for up to a week in the fridge and even longer in the freezer.
• Traditionally, these pastries are brushed with olive oil before baking, but I like the color that egg wash gives instead. Use olive oil if you’d like to keep this recipe vegan or egg-free.
• Serve fatayer warm or at room temperature. To reheat, bake for 5-10 minutes in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven.
• These hand pies are a classic part of a Mezze platter or meal, along with other Middle Eastern appetizers and finger food such as falafel, tabbouleh salad, and hummus.

I hope that you love this recipe as much as I do, and don’t forget to check out more of my Middle Eastern Recipes.

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

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Spinach Fatayer (Hand Pies)

Prep Time: 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 12 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 32 minutes mins

Author: Diana

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A delicious Levantine staple, Spinach Fatayer are made with homemade dough, stuffed with a fresh spinach, onion, and sumac filling, and baked until golden brown.

24 pastries

A delicious Levantine staple, Spinach Fatayer are made with homemade dough, stuffed with a fresh spinach, onion, and sumac filling, and baked until golden brown.

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Stand-mixer optional
• Rolling Pin
• 2 Baking Sheets half-size
• Parchment paper
• Pastry brush
• Kitchen scale (for portioning)

Ingredients 

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For the dough:

• ▢ ¾ cup (180 ml) warm water 120°F-130°F (49°C-55°C)
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons (4 g) instant yeast
• ▢ 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil plus 1 tablespoon for oiling the bowl

For the filling:

• ▢ 1 pound (450 g) fresh spinach leaves
• ▢ 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ▢ 2 tablespoons sumac
• ▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

For baking:

• ▢ 1 egg beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions 

• In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the warm water and instant yeast. Add the flour, salt, sugar, and ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil.
• Knead the dough by hand for 10-12 minutes until smooth and elastic, or use a stand mixer with a dough hook on medium speed for 8-10 minutes.
  
• Lightly oil a clean bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place the dough inside and turn once to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
• Wash and roughly chop the spinach leaves. Place in a colander, sprinkle with salt, toss, and let sit for 5 minutes before squeezing out all excess moisture.
  
• Finely chop the onion. Sprinkle with ground black pepper and rub gently with your fingers, then discard any liquid that releases.
  
• Add the onion to the spinach. Stir in the sumac, lemon juice, and olive oil until evenly combined.
  
• Preheat the oven to 430°F (220°C) and line two half-size baking sheets with parchment paper. Position an oven rack in the center.
• Punch down the dough. Divide it into 24 equal pieces, about 25 grams each, and roll each into a smooth ball.
  
• On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough ball into a 3½-inch (9 cm) circle. Flip the dough so the sticky side faces up.
• Place about 1½ tablespoons (20 g) of filling in the center of each circle. Avoid overfilling.
• Bring three sides of the dough up to the center. Pinch firmly to form a sealed triangle. Wet your fingers slightly if needed to help seal the edges. Make sure the seams are completely sealed.
  
• Arrange the pies on the prepared baking sheets. Leave a bit of space between them.
  
• Brush the tops with beaten egg using a pastry brush. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

• It is important to squeeze the spinach thoroughly to avoid soggy filling.
• Be sure to seal the edges of the pies very well. If they open during baking, the most likely causes are overfilling, wet filling, or weak seals.
• Traditionally, fatayer are brushed with olive oil for a soft, matte finish. An egg wash creates a shiny, golden crust.
• This recipe makes 24 appetizer-sized pastries. You can adjust the recipe to make larger or smaller fatayer if you’d like.
• Serve fatayer warm or at room temperature. To reheat, bake for 5-10 minutes in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven, or microwave briefly.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1pie, Calories: 101kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.001g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 164mg, Potassium: 142mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 1782IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 24mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

This recipe was first published on Little Sunny Kitchen on August 23rd, 2014. Spinach Fatayer was, in fact, one of the first recipes I ever shared on the internet! It has been updated in 2025 with an improved recipe, new images, and recipe tips.