Feteer Meshaltet

Feteer Meshaltet (Egyptian Layered Pastry)

Feteer meshaltet is an ancient Egyptian celebration bread made by stretching dough paper-thin, brushing it with ghee, and folding it into dozens of flaky layers. It is traditionally baked in a round pan until deeply golden and crisp, then served with honey or stuffed with cheese.

Prep

90 min

Cook

15 min

Total

105 min

Serves

6 to 8

Difficulty

Hard

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz / about 4 cups) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
• •5 g (1 tsp) fine salt
• •240 ml (1 cup) warm water, about 40°C / 105°F
• •60 ml (¼ cup) whole milk, lukewarm
• •200 g (7 oz / about 1 cup) ghee, melted; clarified butter is traditional - substitute with unsalted butter if needed, but ghee gives the authentic flavor and crispness
• •200 g (7 oz) feta or aged white cheese, for the cheese filling; traditional fillings use a local mish or akkawi cheese
• •200 g (7 oz) honey, for serving

Steps

1. 1 In a large bowl, whisk the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the warm water and milk. Mix with your hand or a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft but not sticky; add a little flour if it sticks.
2. 2 Shape the dough into a ball, coat lightly with ghee, cover with a clean towel, and rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Divide the rested dough into 6 equal balls (about 130 g each), coat each with a thin layer of ghee, cover, and rest another 30 minutes.
3. 3 Heat a heavy 25–28 cm (10–11 inch) oven-safe skillet or metal pan over medium heat while you stretch the dough. Working on a large, clean cloth dusted with flour, take one dough ball and, using the backs of your hands, gently stretch and press it outward, rotating as you go. The traditional technique uses shoulder and back-of-hand presses to avoid tearing. Work from the center outward until the dough is paper-thin and translucent - you should be able to see the pattern of the cloth through it. Aim for roughly 60–70 cm (24–28 inches) across.
4. 4 Brush the stretched surface generously with melted ghee, pooling slightly. If making a cheese-filled feteer: scatter crumbled cheese over the center third of the dough. Fold the left third over the center, then the right third over that (like folding a letter). Brush the top with ghee, then fold the bottom up and the top down to form a square or rectangle about 15 cm (6 inches) across.
5. 5 Carefully transfer the folded dough into the dry (ungreased) preheated pan. Brush the top generously with ghee. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until the underside is golden-brown and crisp, pressing gently with a spatula to release trapped air and ensure even browning.
6. 6 Transfer the pan to a preheated oven at 220°C (425°F) and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the top is blistered, deep golden, and fully cooked through. The internal layers should sound hollow and crisp when tapped. (If your pan is not oven-safe, flip the feteer onto a baking sheet to finish in the oven.)
7. 7 Repeat with the remaining dough balls. Stack finished feteers on a wire rack to keep the layers crisp. Serve hot, torn into pieces, with a generous drizzle of honey. For cheese-filled feteers, let rest 3 to 4 minutes before cutting so the molten cheese sets slightly; internal cheese should reach 70°C (160°F) for food safety.