Lebanese Egg Pie with Vegetables Recipe

Excerpt from Man’oushé

4 pies

Ingredients

Dough:
2 1/2 cups (13 ounces/360 grams) of white bread (strong) flour
1 cup (5 ounces/150 grams) of cake flour
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) of lukewarm water, 105-115 degrees F
2 teaspoons of salt
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Topping:
8 large eggs (2 for each pie), at room temperature
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 bunch of fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
Pinch of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Directions 

To make the dough: Measure the flours.

Dissolve the yeast in the water and set aside for a couple of minutes. Sift flour and salt together into a bowl and stir in the sugar (it is important to mix the dry ingredients first).

Gradually pour the yeast water and the oil into the dry ingredients and mix.

Knead the mixture to make soft dough.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. (If you are using a food processor or stand mixer, add the dry ingredients first, then gradually add the liquids. Start at a low speed, and gradually turn up the speed, running the machine for 1 minute. Always stand close to the machine while it is running).

Place the dough into a large bowl dusted with extra flour or greased with olive oil (this will prevent the dough from sticking to the surface of the bowl). Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel and leave to rise in a warm place, free of drafts, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk. I usually place my dough in an unheated oven to rise.

Punch down the dough. On a floured surface, form the dough into a log. Pinch off the dough to form 4 equal-sized balls (unless otherwise specified in the pie recipe). Flour or grease the bowl again and leave to rise for an additional half-hour.

Flatten each ball with your palm.

Using a rolling pin, roll out each ball of dough into a disc of about 10 in (25 cm) and a thickness of 1/4 in (6 mm).

If you are using a conventional oven, spread the circles onto a baking or crisping pan or place your baking stone on the bottom shelf of the oven before preheating.

To make the topping: In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Add the onion, tomatoes, mint, parsley, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and vegetable oil, and mix well.

Using your fingertips, raise the edges of the dough slightly to prevent the eggs from running.

If you are using a cast-iron crepe pan, griddle, or convex disc (saj), preheat over high heat. Heat the dough until small bubbles form; then lower the heat and very carefully ladle in the egg mixture. Cook until the eggs have set and the edges are crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the heat source. Lightly spray the cooking surface with water between pies, and wipe away any debris.

If you are using a conventional oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C/Gas mark 6). Carefully ladle in the egg mixture and bake the pies for 7 to 10 minutes on the bottom shelf until the eggs are cooked and the edges are slightly golden, watching carefully so they don’t burn.

Serve the pies hot.

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