Wikipedia

Fatayer

For a person with the surname Fatayer, see Souzan Fatayer.

Fatayer (Standard Arabic: فطائر, romanized: faṭāʾir; Levantine Arabic: فطاير, romanized: faṭāyir; sg. فطيرة, faṭīra) are small stuffed pastries that are a central part of Levantine cuisine. Traditionally fatayer are made with a soft leavened dough and filled with a variety of different fillings such as spinach, white brined cheeses like feta, akkawi, or halloumi, or with seasoned minced lamb or beef[1]. Fatayer are commonly shaped into closed triangles or small open pastries with exposed filling, and they appear widely in Palestinian, Lebanese, Syrian, and Jordanian, home cooking and bakery culture[2].

Fatayer
TypeMeat pie
Place of originLevant
Region or state
Associated cuisineLevantine cuisine
Main ingredientsMeat, spinach, cheese or za'atar
  •   Media: Fatayer

Through migration, fatayer became part of many diaspora food traditions. Syrian and Lebanese immigrants introduced the pastries to Brazil where they developed into the widely popular baked snack known as esfiha[3]. A similar dish, known as empanadas árabes (singular form empanada árabe) or fatay, became common in Argentina and other South American countries. Fatayer has become a mainstream food across Latin America.

Some fatayer are commonly frozen and reheated prior to eating.[4]

Name and Terminology

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The word fatayer (فطائر) is the plural of fatira, meaning a small pie or pastry in Arabic[5]. English spellings vary and can be refered to as fatayer or fatair[5]. Fatayer are also different from related Levantine pastries such as sfiha or lahm bi ajin. Even though they do share similar dough and fillings, fatayer are small triangular or boat-shaped pastries, whereas sfiha and lahm bi ajin are open flatbreads topped with minced meats[1].

Regional variations

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Levant

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Different combinations of fillings and shapes are used for fatayer. Common fillings include:

  • Dough
    • Fatayer dough is soft and made from yeast, water, and salt, sometimes also with olive oil or yogurt for tenderness[1]. Traditional versions can be topped with sesame or nigella seeds[2][1].
  • Spinach (سبانخ)
    • Spinach-filled fatayer, are also known as Fatayer Sabanekh (Levantine Arabic: فطاير سبانخ). The filling is a mix of spinach, onions, lemon juice or sumac, and olive oil[2]. Other greens are common fillings as well, like fresh Origanum syriacum, in fatayer made during the winter by Palestinians[6].
  • Cheese (جبن)
    • Cheese fatayer is one of the most popular types of fatayer. It is usually white brined cheeses such as akkawi, halloumi, or feta with an optional mix of herbs or nigella seeds. These are sold in Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian bakeries[2].
  • Meat (ahm bi ajeen or lahmacun)
    • Meat fatayer can be filled with minced lamb or beef that is seasoned with a mix of onions, tomatoes, and spices[1]. They are very similar to sfiha, but fatayer are closed or boat-shaped instead of open flatbread[5].
  • Baking Process
    • Fatayer are baked in a hot oven until golden, producing a soft and slightly chewy dough with a crisp surface[1].


A variety of spices may also be used for each variant.[7][4][8] The shapes also vary; some are fully enclosed triangles, while other are shaped like boats with part of the filling exposed.[9] The dough is sometimes unleavened, and can be flavored with spices like mahleb.[9]

History and Regions

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Levant

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Fatayer developed through household baking traditions in the Levant, where wheat and olive oil were used in everyday cooking. It is prepared in Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian households for family meals, to welcome guests and as part of seasonal cooking from local harvests. Spinach, cheese and meat pies are among some of the many types of fatayer served as part of mezze (small, shareable dishes served as an appetizer course or full meal in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East) and are foods associated with hospitality and everyday home cooking.

Across the Levant, fatayer varies by filling and seasoning. In Palestine, spinach fatayer (fatayer sabanekh) with lemon or sumac are very popular at home and in bakeries. In Lebanon and Syria, cheese and meat fatayer are found in most bakeries with some versions adding nigella seeds, pine nuts, or regional cheeses like halloumi or akkawi.

South America

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Brazil

In Brazil, fatayer has become known as esfiha and became part of everyday bakery culture, through Syrian and Lebanese immigrants. Studies on more recent Syrian and Palestinian communities shows that through the sale of fatayer or esfihas, refugees not only had a main source of income but also gained visibility in the local public space. Selling these snacks on the streets of Rio De Janeiro gave space to the Arab community in the city without conflict and allowed them to maintain cultural continuity after displacement[10] .

Contemporary studies show that dishes can preserve memories of home and connect past and present especially in times of conflict or migration[11]. For example, the process of preparing and passing down fatayer became one way for communities facing upheaval to maintain a sense of history and identity[10].

Argentina, Chile

In Argentina and Chile, a closely related pastry known as "arab empanadas," or "fatay" or "esfiha," started to gain popularity in regions with significant Arab immigration. Fatay uses similar dough and fillings like spiced meat, onions, and lemon showing the Levantine origins of Fatayer while still adapting to local ingredients and regional tastes[12].

Empanadas àrabes, or fatay, are also popular in other Latin American countries, such as Bolivia, Colombia, and Venezuela.[13][14]

Fatay are triangular, with a filling typically consisting of tomato, onion, and minced meat, and topped with lemon juice. They are sometimes open-faced and sometimes closed; they closely resemble sfiha.[13][14][15]

Cultural Significance and Identity

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Fatayer has a very meaningful role in Levantine social life beyond its place as an everyday food. In Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian households, fatayer is part of mezze spreads, holiday gatherings, everyday meals, and symbols of hospitality and shared family traditions[1]. Fatayer also reflects local agriculture and builds bonds within families and communities.[11]

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    Fatayer sabanekh
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    Palestinian fatayer zaatar
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    Empanadas àrabes, open-faced like sfiha and served with lemons

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Roden, Claudia (2000). The new book of Middle Eastern food (Rev. ed.). New York: Knopf. pp. 40–44, 103–108, 114–116, 139–142, 500–520. ISBN 978-0-375-40506-8.
  2. ^ a b c d Kassis, Reem (2017). The Palestinian table. London ; New York, New York: Phaidon Press. pp. 52–55, 132–139, 140–143, 220–228. ISBN 978-0-7148-7496-8.
  3. ^ Lesser, Jeffrey (1999). Negotiating National Identity: Immigrants, Minorities, and the Struggle for Ethnicity in Brazil. Durham: Duke University Press. pp. 78–105, 160–178. ISBN 978-0-8223-9929-2.
  4. ^ a b Tamimi, Sami; Wigley, Tara (26 March 2020). "Snacks, Spreads and Sauces". Falastin: A Cookbook. Ebury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4735-5775-8.
  5. ^ a b c Davidson, Alan (2014). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford Companions Ser. Tom Jaine (3rd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press, Incorporated. pp. 310–311. ISBN 978-0-19-967733-7.
  6. ^ Kashdan, Harry (2021-09-14). "SAMI TAMIMI AND TARA WIGLEY, Falastin: A Cookbook (Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 2020)". Mashriq & Mahjar: Journal of Middle East & North African Migration Studies. 8 (2): 150–152. doi:10.24847/v8i22021.273. ISSN 2169-4435.
  7. ^ Kalla, Joudie (18 October 2018). "The Bakery". Baladi: Palestine a celebration of food from land and sea. Jacqui Small. ISBN 978-1-911127-86-4.
  8. ^ "Cook this: Spinach turnovers — fatayer sbenegh — from Forever Beirut". National Post. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  9. ^ a b Helou, Anissa (4 October 2018). Feast: Food of the Islamic World. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5266-0556-6. Retrieved 28 September 2025.
  10. ^ a b Fonseca Chagas, Gisele; Blum Bakour, Houda (2025-06-30). ""Chegamos ao Rio e não sabemos onde estamos": refugiados sírios e o comércio de esfihas e quibes no Rio de Janeiro". EXILIUM Revista de Estudos da Contemporaneidade. 6 (10): 155–168. doi:10.34024/c94mg783. ISSN 2675-6188.
  11. ^ a b El-Haddad, Laila; Schmitt, Maggie (2014-10-02). "Dinner in Gaza". Jewish Quarterly. 61 (3–4): 62–65. doi:10.1080/0449010X.2014.978577. ISSN 0449-010X.
  12. ^ Nachawati Rego, Leila (2025-02-03). "La caída de la dinastía Asad en Siria: factores locales, regionales y globales". Anaquel de Estudios Árabes. 36 (1): 1–12. doi:10.5209/anqe.100223. ISSN 1988-2645.
  13. ^ a b "Día Mundial de la Empanada: recetas infalibles para celebrar un clásico de la cocina" [World Empanada Day: foolproof recipes to celebrate a culinary classic]. Nuevo Diario Web (in Spanish). 8 April 2025. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  14. ^ a b "Empanadas árabes: Receta de Fatay original - Paulina Cocina" [Arabic empanadas: traditional Fatay recipe]. www.paulinacocina.net (in Spanish). 26 March 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
  15. ^ "El restaurante de Buenos Aires que prepara "la fatay más famosa"" [The Buenos Aires restaurant that prepares "the most famous fatay"]. www.c5n.com (in Spanish). 1 October 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2025.
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  •   The dictionary definition of fatayer at Wiktionary
  •   Media related to Fatayer at Wikimedia Commons
 

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