Levantine cheese fatayer filled with white cheese and fresh mint, with a golden crust and a soft, melt-in-the-mouth dough — suitable for the breakfast, suhoor, or entertaining table and ready in no time.
The cheese fatayer recipe comes from the Levantine kitchen, appearing on the suhoor and breakfast table in Ramadan and on family gathering tables.
The filling here is salted feta cheese, and the fresh mint softens its saltiness and adds a quiet fragrance that distinguishes this version from the zaatar cheese fatayer common in the Levant.
Start by preparing a kneading bowl, sift the flour into it and add the salt, instant yeast, sugar, milk powder, and baking powder, and stir them together with a wooden spoon until the spices are evenly distributed through the flour. Make sure to sift the flour well because any clumps will show on the surface of the fatayer later.
Pour the vegetable oil over the dry ingredients, then add the warm water gradually and run the dough hook on slow speed for 8 minutes until a firm dough forms that doesn't stick to the hand. If the dough is sticky, sprinkle a spoon of extra flour and knead again. The finished dough is smooth, stretchy, and leaves a clean mark on the bowl.
Shape the dough into one ball and place it in a bowl brushed with a thin layer of oil, and cover it with a clean cotton towel. Leave it in a warm place away from drafts for 45 minutes to a full hour, until it doubles in size and air bubbles appear on its surface.
While the dough rises, crumble the feta cheese with a fork in a small bowl, and mix it with the finely chopped fresh mint. Keep the filling in the refrigerator until we finish shaping the fatayer so it stays compact and is easier to stuff.
Divide the dough into 12 equal balls the size of a walnut. Take each ball and roll it out on a surface dusted with a little flour into a half-centimeter-thick disc. Place a small spoon of filling in the center of the disc, then gather the edges into a closed triangle or envelope and press the edges with a fork so they stick and don't open while baking.
Arrange the fatayer on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving 3 centimeters between each fatayer, and cover them with a towel and leave for an extra 15 minutes so they puff slightly before baking. This second puffing gives a lighter, softer fatayer.
Preheat the oven to 180°C before placing the tray in. Whisk the egg yolk with a spoon of water and brush the top of the fatayer with a soft brush, then sprinkle the sesame seeds evenly over each fatayer. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes until the top turns golden brown. Take them out and serve warm.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Cheese Fatayer with Mint, and how to fix them:
Sprinkle a spoon of flour on the surface and roll again, and make sure the first kneading was enough for a full 8 minutes.
Make sure to seal the triangle edges well with the fork, and reduce the filling to half a spoon per fatayer instead of a full spoon.
Move the tray to the upper rack in the last 5 minutes of baking with the broiler on medium, watching continuously.
Store the fatayer in an airtight container for up to 4 days. To reheat, place in a 160°C oven for 5 minutes until they regain their crispness — avoid the microwave because it softens the crust.
Arrange the shaped fatayer before baking on a tray and place in the freezer for an hour, then transfer to an airtight bag. When using, bake directly from the freezer with 5 extra minutes of baking time.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| feta cheese | sweetened white cheese with a pinch of salt | same amount (200 g) | Feta gives a balanced saltiness with the mint, while sweetened white cheese needs an extra pinch of salt to balance the flavor. |
| fresh mint | chopped parsley or dried mint | parsley: 2 tablespoon, dried mint: 1 teaspoon | Parsley softens the aroma of fresh mint; dried mint concentrates the flavor but is less sharp. |
| milk powder | warm liquid milk | half a cup of liquid milk replaces the milk powder and part of the water | Slightly changes the dough texture to be softer — may need extra flour. |
If you want a softer crust, brush the top with liquid milk instead of egg yolk; for a deeper color, mix the egg yolk with a drop of turmeric before brushing.
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