Let’s talk Mother-in-Laws… 

I lucked out. Honestly, I really lucked out. My MIL is probably one of the best mother-in-laws I could ask for. She’s pretty laid back when she visits, super cool, and does not act like your “typical’ mother-in-law. If you haven’t already watched it, you’ve got to watch the movie Monster-in-Law. 

She understands I work and that I’m not one of those old-school wives that just cooks and cleans and waits for her husband to come home. She sees the dishes piling up in my sink when she comes over (unexpectedly leaving me little time to throw everything in the already full dish washer), and she doesn’t say a word or think anything bad of me. She makes her own Turkish coffee most days, she’s super cool to talk to, she always sends me home with goodies when I visit her, and she’s super supportive on the trying to have a green thumb front. And since she doesn’t have any girls — I’ll be honest I also lucked out on that front. But that’s a discussion for another day — she’s taken me in as her own daughter. I get featured on ur whatsapp statuses and facebook posts more than her sons these days. 

When my MIL wanted to have a Middle Eastern Pie  (mo3ajanat) making afternoon, I was so freaking excited. Sure, I’m a food blogger, but MILs, they have some serious cooking knowledge. I learned some super helpful baking hacks from her! 

I’m looking forward to so many more joint cooking ventures.

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Middle Eastern Hand Pies

Ingredients

    For the Dough
  • 10 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon yeast
  • 4 cups warm water
  • ¾ cup Veggie Oil
  • 5 tablespoons Powdered Milk
  • 1 tablespoon Salt
  • 2 tablespoons Sugar
  • 3 tablespoons baking powder
    • For the Spinach Pies
  • 1 kilo chopped, cleaned and dried spinach
  • ¼ cup sumac
  • 2 tablespoons seven spice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 red onion, finely chopped
  • Chili Powder, to desired spicy level (optional)
  • Salt, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
    • For the Cheese Honeycomb
  • ½ Kilo Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
    • For the Meat Pie
  • 1 kilo ground beef or lamb
  • 1 tomato finely chopped
  • 2 red onions finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons seven spice
  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

    For the Dough
  1. Prepare the yeast by mixing together yeast and 1 cup warm water, cover and wait about 30 minutes
  2. Place flour in a large bowl
  3. Add in powdered milk, baking powder, salt and sugar
  4. Then add in the yeast mixture and then mix together by hand
  5. One you reach a crumbly mixture, add in warm water one cup at a time and continue to work until the dough is no longer sticky
  6. Cover tightly and let the dough rest for 2 hours
  7. Dough will be ready to use after the 2 hour rest period
    8. For the Spinach Pies
  8. Mix together spinach, sumac, salt, seven spice, onions, garlic
  9. Then add in the oil, one tablespoon at a time
  10. Pull a small piece of dough, and form into a ball in your palm.
  11. Spread onto an oiled surface and work the dough with your fingers, creating a flat round pizza
  12. Fill with spinach mixture
  13. Starting on one side, pull the dough over the spinach diagonally, then do the same with the other side. They’ll meet in the middle and overlap. Then pull the bottom portion up straight to create a triangle
  14. Continue with the rest. Place on a well-oiled baking sheet
  15. Brush with oil and broil for 2-3 minutes until slightly browned, then bake for 5-7 minutes on 180C
    16. For the Cheese Honeycomb
  16. Begin my pulling a pieces of dough, and form into a ball in your palm,
  17. Create a hole in the middle without poking through, and place just enough mozzarella to fill the hole. Put up the sides all around and pinch together
  18. Place in a well-oiled baking sheet
  19. Continue with the rest of the cheese, and place the little balls as close to eachother as possible.
  20. Brush with oil and broil for 2-3 minutes until slightly browned, then bake for 5-7 minutes on 180C
    21. For the Meat Pie
  21. In a well oiled baking sheet, spread out the dough to cover the bottom, making sure to keep the thickness even all around
  22. Prepare the meat mixture by browning the ground beef
  23. Add in 1 tablespoon olive oil and then the onion and saute until soft
  24. Add the tomato, salt and seven spice and mix together
  25. Saute for another 3 minutes to absorb the flavors
  26. Spread the mixture evenly over the dough
  27. Next, we’ll prepare the top layer by rolling out another piece of dough the same size as our bottom layer
  28. Carefully place the top layer over the meat mixture and press down the edges
  29. Brush with oil and broil for 2-3 minutes until slightly browned, then bake for 5-7 minutes on 180C
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