Sfeeha and other wrap meat recipes became popular during the Ottoman Empire, especially in Turkey, Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. Sfeeha is also called lahm b’ajin (meat with dough) it is a thin layer of rounded dough, topped with ground beef or lamb with minced vegetables and herbs including onions, tomatoes, parsley, and pepper. Added spices such as black pepper, cumin, and coriander then baked. Then it's wrapped around vegetables, including pickles, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and lettuce.
Sfeeha or lahm b’ajin very easy recipe to make, you can make large quantities and freeze them to be used later when needed. You can heat them in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, it will taste just as fresh as you have made it for the first time. It is usually eaten during dinner time with Iraqi tea.
Ingredients for the ground beef mix
2 pounds ground lean beef
1 medium onion chopped in four halves’
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup chopped green onions
2 chopped tomatoes
1 small jalapeno pepper chopped
1 small green pepper chopped
1 small red pepper chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
Salt as preferred
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon allspice
¼ teaspoon chili pepper
5 tablespoons tomato paste
Instruction for the ground beef mix:
In a food processor add the onions, parsley, cilantro, green onions, Jalapeno, green pepper, and red pepper blend for about 5 minutes until everything is mixed well.
Add the tomatoes in the blender with the mix vegetables and blend for 3 minutes.
Take it out of the blender and place it in a large bowl
Add meat and the tomato paste mix well
Add cumin, coriander, black pepper, allspice, and chili pepper mix well.
Set aside
Ingredient for the dough:
4 cups of warm water
4 tablespoon yeasts
2 tablespoon sugars
6 cups white flour
2 cup wheat flour
2 tablespoon salts
5 tablespoon olive oil
Instruction:
In a bowl 2 cup of warm water (you can put your finger in it without remove in it) add the yeasts and the sugar and leave it for 3 to 4 minutes to rise.
In another bowl add the white flour, wheat flour, and olive oil. Mix the ingredient well.
Add the yeasts mix, and two cups of water, then mix well and knead the dough.
In the bottom of the bowl add ½ tablespoon of olive oil then add the knead dough on top, cover and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Roll the dough into 12 to 14 small balls cover with plastic wrap for 10 minutes.
Generously grease a cookie sheet tray.
With a rolling pin open your dough into a circle shape and place it on a cookie sheet
Take some of your meat mixtures and spread them on the top of the dough, you can use your hand or use the back of the spoon to spread the meat mixtures.
Due that to all 12 or 14 small balls of dough
Bake in a heated oven of 400 degrees for about 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Add your favorite vegetables and sauces wrap it and cut into halves.
Enjoy
