You can adjust the recipe by adding chopped fresh thyme leaves or adding hot sauce or chillies.

Spinach has many proven health benefits. You can read this article about 34 science backed health benefits to Spinach written by Helen Nichols for Well-Being Secretes.

Usually we eat these spinach triangles with yoghurt. And my go to yoghurt is the one I make at home as it is lighter and tangier than your average store bought yoghurt.

To know how to make the Palestinian spinach triangles please watch this video:

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

• 6 cups AP flour
• 1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 tsp dried instant yeast
• 1 tbsp salt

For the Filling:

1 kilo of washed and chopped spinach leaves

1 medium size onion finely diced

3 tbls Sumac or to taste

1 tbls salt or to taste

2 tbls olive oil or to taste

juice of one lemon

Tips:

• Make sure that the milk and water are at around 40 C.
• Make sure to knead the dough long enough, not less than 10 mins
• Leave the dough to prove in a warm place until double in size for about 2 hours.
• Once you chop your spinach leaves add a bit of salt and let stand for 1 hour so extra juices come out.
• Drain the spinach very well before making the filling.
• Salt and sumac are to taste so feel free to adjust the recipe to your own liking.
• You can add chilli paste or chilli powder if you like some heat.
• Bake the triangles in a preheated oven at 200-220 C for 15-20 mins or until golden.
• Once they are done you can brush them with a bit of olive oil and cover them with a tea towel until serving.
• You can buy the sumac from international or continental supermarkets or sometimes in healthy food section of your supermarket.

Za’atar is a special thyme and herbs mix that again taste different between each Middle Eastern country. As a Palestinian myself I like the Palestinian version most. But they all taste great and they are healthy too.
So if you want to try and make mana’esh at home please watch the video:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups A/P flour
• 1 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tsp instant dried yeast
• 3 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• thyme mixture “za’atar” you can buy from your local Middle Eastern grocery store.

Tips:

• The water should be around 40C.
• It is better to start adding one cup of water only and if you feel that the dough is still stiff add another 1/4 cup. The dough should be sticky a bit before kneading.
• Knead the dough well until it becomes elastic and smooth. At least you should knead it for 10 mins.
• Leave the dough to rest in a warm place until it doubles in size around 1 1/5 to 2 hours.
• You can spread the dough to the thickness you like. If you prefer it crispy then spread to about 3 mm thickness if you prefer it softer and chewer then spread it more thick.
  Bake the mana’esh in a pre heated oven at 200 C for 10 mins or until they are golden to your liking.
• Serve hot next to a hot cup of black tea with mint.

Some might like it the simple way with just tomato sauce, basil leaves and melted cheese. While others might fancy more meat with different kind of cooked meat, sausages and salami.

Personally I prefer the vegetarian options. And that is why today I’ll show three different ways to top your pizzas. I will also share with you an easy way to make pizza dough Italian style.

To know how to make pizza dough and my choice of toppings please watch the video:

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 4 cups or 750 gram A/P flour
• 2 cups minus 2 tbsp or 480 ml lukewarm water
• 3 tsp or 15 grams salt
• 5 tsp or 22 grams dried instant yeast
• 1/3 cup or 75 ml extra virgin olive oil

Sauce:

• 2 or 3 cloves of garlic
• 4 tbsp tomato sauce or ketchup
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tbsp dried thyme leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Toppings:

• Green pepper sliced
• Tomato sliced
• Red onion sliced
• Zucchini sliced
• Mushroom sliced
• Black olives
• Haloumi cheese sliced
• Cherry tomato
• Grated Mozzarella cheese
• Optional: grated cheddar and parmesan
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Tips:

• The dough is sticky. But after kneading it properly its stickiness will be much less. Please watch the video for a clearer demo.
•  The dough must rest for at least 2 hours in a warm place. But it is better to leave for longer periods. 6 hours at room temperature or 24 hours in the fridge for a more authentic Italian crust. The slower fermentation will give it a better texture and flavour.
• You can add whatever you choose to the sauce for example basil leaves or chili powder.
• You can use whatever veggies or other toppings.
• Bake the pizza in a preheated oven at 200 C for 10 mins or until the pizza is done.
• After the first bake add the mozzarella cheese or any other kind of cheese you want to use and place the pizza under the grill for the cheese to melt and become golden.

Sifeeha is one of the famous pastries of Middle East. It comes in different shapes and from slightly different recipes. Sifeeha can be considered a minced meat “pizza”.

I’ll be showing you how to make sifeeha the Palestinian way. To know how watch the video:

Ingredients:

– The dough:

• 6 cups AP flour
• 1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk
• 1 cup lukewarm water
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 tsp dried instant yeast
• 1 tbsp salt

– Topping:

• 1/2 kilograms minced lamb meat
• 2 medium sized tomatoes finely chopped
• 1 medium sized onion finely chopped
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 3 tbsp tahina paste
• 2 tbsp vingear
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground all spice “pimento”

Tips:

• Make sure that the milk and water are at around 40 C.
• Make sure to knead the dough long enough, not less than 10 mins
• Leave the dough to prove in a warm place until double in size for about 2 hours.
• You can use beef mince instead of lamb or a mix of both.
• Salt and spices are to taste so feel free to adjust the recipe to your own liking.
• You can add chilli paste or chilli powder if you like some heat.
• Bake the sifeeha in a preheated oven at 200-220 C for 15-20 mins or until golden.
• You can buy the pomegranate molasses and tahina from international or continental supermarkets or sometimes in healthy food section of your supermarket.