Feteer Meshaltet

Method16 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Mix all the all-purpose flour (4 cups) and quarter-teaspoon salt (1/4 tsp) in a large bowl. Pour in the first cup of water and start kneading the combined dough.

   Uses 4 cups all-purpose flour · 1/4 tsp Salt · First 1 cup from the available 1–1½ cups water

2. 2

   Step 2: If the same dough is dry or will not come together, add only as much of the remaining half-cup water as needed, gradually while kneading. Continue until the complete dough is very elastic and can stretch without tearing, keeping unused water separately.

   Uses All the partly mixed dough · Up to the remaining ½ cup water, only if needed

3. 3

   Step 3: Rest the complete dough for ten minutes, then divide it into eight equal balls for two pastries with four nested dough sheets each.

   Rest elastic dough before dividing into eight balls · 10 minUses All the complete dough

4. 4

   Step 4: Gently melt and warm the cup of unsalted butter (1 cup), then mix it with the quarter-cup olive oil (¼ cup). Before this actual mixture touches any raw dough, reserve a small clean portion in a separate covered bowl for brushing the baked pastries at the end. Put the rest in a deep bowl for dipping and folding, keeping it warm rather than scorching hot.

   Uses 1 cup unsalted butter for warm coating mixture · ¼ cup olive oil for the warm coating mixture

5. 5

   Step 5: Immerse all eight dough balls in the actual warm dipping butter-oil mixture and rest them for fifteen to twenty minutes. Keep this same dough-contact mixture available for brushing the folds and unbaked pastry tops, while keeping the separately reserved clean finishing portion away from raw dough.

   Rest eight dough balls in warm butter-oil mixture · 20 minUses All eight dough balls · Only the actual dipping portion; hold the clean finishing share separately

6. 6

   Step 6: Heat the oven to 550°F / about 290°C and have two ten-inch baking or pie dishes ready.

7. 7

   Step 7: Lift the first fat-rested ball from the mixture. Stretch it gently with your hands on a clean countertop until so thin that you can see the surface through it.

   Uses The first of eight balls; keep the other seven covered

8. 8

   Step 8: Fold the first stretched sheet over itself into a square, brushing a little of the same retained warm butter-oil mixture between its folds.

   Uses The complete first sheet · Some of the actual retained butter-oil mixture for folds

9. 9

   Step 9: Hold the first folded square ready while stretching the second ball.

   Uses The complete first folded square

10. 10

    Step 10: Lift the second ball from the same mixture and stretch it as thinly as the first.

    Uses The second of the eight balls only

11. 11

    Step 11: Put the first folded square in the middle of the second stretched sheet, seam-side down. Fold this outer sheet over the first square, brushing a little of the retained mixture between its folds to make a two-sheet packet.

    Uses The held first folded square · The complete second sheet · Some actual retained mixture for the next folds

12. 12

    Step 12: Hold the complete two-sheet packet ready for the next two dough sheets.

    Uses The complete two-sheet packet

13. 13

    Step 13: Stretch the third ball thin and enclose the held packet in it, brushing some retained mixture between folds. Repeat with the fourth ball to make the first four-sheet pastry. Put it seam-side down in the first ten-inch dish and brush the top with a little more of the same mixture.

    Uses The actual first packet · The third and fourth balls only · Some retained mixture for these folds and first pastry top

14. 14

    Step 14: Repeat the same stretching and nesting sequence with the four remaining balls to make the second four-sheet pastry, brushing its folds from the retained mixture. Put it seam-side down in the second ten-inch dish. Lightly press both completed pastries so they spread across their dishes, then brush the second top with a little of the same mixture.

    Uses The first completed pastry · Only the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth balls · Some retained mixture for the second pastry

15. 15

    Step 15: Bake the prepared pastries at 550°F / about 290°C for ten minutes, until beginning to puff. Turn on the broiler and watch closely until the tops are browned and the inner layers are baked through, continuing the oven cooking as needed if the centres remain doughy. Bake each pastry through, in separate batches if the dishes do not fit together.

    Initial feteer oven bake before broiler browning · 10 minUses Both actual prepared pastries, baking separately if needed

16. 16

    Step 16: Brush the actual baked pastry tops with a little of the clean butter-oil portion reserved before any raw dough contact, then cover so they stay moist. Serve the two pastries plain, cutting them into eight portions altogether. Keep any unused clean finishing mixture separately and discard unused dough-contact dipping mixture.

    Uses Both actual baked pastries · A little of the actual clean portion reserved before raw dough contact