Fatayer: The Story of Middle Eastern Spinach Pies

Golden outside and filled with a bright, tangy spinach mixture, fatayer are among the Middle East’s most beloved savory pastries.

These small hand pies can be filled with spinach, cheese or seasoned meat. The spinach version is especially recognizable because of its triangular shape and balance of fresh greens, onion, lemon, sumac and olive oil.

At Aladdin Cafe in Casselberry, our spinach pies offer a delicious meat-free choice that can be enjoyed as an appetizer, snack or part of a complete vegetarian platter.

What does “fatayer” mean?

Fatayer is an Arabic word for pastries or pies. It is the plural form; one individual pie may be called a fatira.

The name appears in English with several spellings:

• Fatayer

• Fatayir

• Fata’ir

• Fataer

Spinach fatayer may be called fatayer sabanekh. The Arabic word sabanekh means spinach, so the complete name means spinach pies or spinach pastries.

Where did spinach fatayer originate?

Fatayer belongs to the culinary traditions of the Levant, particularly Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and Jordan. Different forms are also enjoyed in Egypt, Iraq and other parts of the Middle East.

The precise origin and date are not documented. Fatayer most likely developed through generations of household and community baking. Families used familiar ingredients—wheat dough, seasonal vegetables, olive oil and spices—to produce portable pies that could be shared at meals or served to guests.

Spinach and cheese fatayer remain common in homes, bakeries and restaurants throughout the region. Lebanese food writer Maureen Abood describes spinach fatayer as small, triangular pies made with tender bread dough and a spinach-and-onion filling. Read her explanation of Lebanese spinach pies.

Why are spinach pies triangular?

Spinach fatayer is traditionally recognized by its three-sided shape.

A round piece of dough is filled with the spinach mixture. The edges are lifted and pinched together at three points, creating a triangle that holds the filling during baking.

The shape may also help customers distinguish spinach fatayer from other bakery items. Cheese pies, meat pies and za’atar pastries can have different shapes depending on the baker and region.

Proper sealing is important. Spinach naturally releases moisture, so the dough must be closed carefully to prevent the pie from opening or leaking in the oven.

What is inside traditional spinach fatayer?

Recipes differ, but traditional spinach fatayer commonly contains:

• Fresh spinach

• Chopped onion

• Fresh lemon juice

• Sumac

• Olive oil

• Salt and seasonings

• Soft bread dough

Some families add pomegranate molasses for additional sweet-and-sour flavor. Others use lemon and sumac without pomegranate.

Before filling the dough, cooks must control the moisture in the spinach. If the filling contains too much liquid, the dough can become wet and difficult to bake properly.

What is sumac?

Sumac is a deep-red Middle Eastern spice made from dried and ground sumac berries. It has a tart, lemon-like flavor without the intense liquid acidity of lemon juice.

In spinach fatayer, sumac reinforces the tangy flavor of the filling and complements the spinach, onion and olive oil.

Sumac is also commonly used in:

• Fattoush salad

• Za’atar mixtures

• Grilled meat seasonings

• Onion salads

• Marinades

• Roasted vegetables

Culinary sumac should not be confused with poison sumac. Commercial culinary sumac comes from edible varieties prepared specifically for food.

Fatayer, sfiha and spanakopita: What is the difference?

Several regional pastries may look similar, but they are prepared differently.

PastryTypical descriptionSpinach fatayerLevantine bread dough filled with spinach, onion, lemon, sumac and olive oilSfihaOpen or partially closed pastry topped with seasoned ground meatCheese fatayerSavory pastry filled with cheeses such as akkawi, feta or halloumiGreek spanakopitaSpinach and cheese filling layered or wrapped in thin phyllo pastryTurkish börekA broad family of layered or rolled pastries with cheese, meat or vegetablesEmpanadaA folded pastry found throughout Spain and Latin America with numerous fillings

Fatayer uses a soft bread-style dough rather than the thin, flaky phyllo commonly used for spanakopita.

How fatayer traveled to South America

Large numbers of Lebanese, Syrian and Palestinian immigrants moved to South America during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They carried their recipes and baking traditions with them.

In Brazil, related pastries became widely known as esfiha. In Argentina and other countries, versions may be called fatay or “Arab empanadas.”

The recipes adapted to local ingredients and preferences, but their Levantine roots remain visible in the dough, fillings, shapes and seasonings.

Spinach fatayer at Aladdin Cafe

Aladdin Cafe’s spinach pies are filled with chopped spinach, onion, lemon juice, sumac and olive oil.

The spinach provides a savory, earthy base. Onion adds depth, while lemon and sumac supply the characteristic tangy flavor. Olive oil helps bring the ingredients together inside the baked dough.

Enjoy our spinach pies:

• As a hot appetizer

• With hummus or baba ghanouj

• Alongside fresh tabbouleh

• With falafel and stuffed grape leaves

• As a choice on a vegetarian combination

• As part of a Middle Eastern catering platter

One customer praised Aladdin Cafe’s spinach pie for its “delicious crust.” Other guests have complimented its flavor and included it among the restaurant’s notable vegetarian choices. Customer experiences can be found on Aladdin Cafe’s Tripadvisor page.

Are spinach pies vegetarian?

Aladdin Cafe’s published spinach filling does not contain meat. However, the dough is made from wheat, so the spinach pie contains gluten.

Before describing it as vegan, we should confirm whether the dough contains milk, yogurt, butter, eggs or another animal-derived ingredient. Customers with allergies should also ask about ingredients and kitchen cross-contact.

Taste Middle Eastern spinach pies in Casselberry

Spinach fatayer demonstrates how a few thoughtfully balanced ingredients can create something memorable. The soft baked dough, savory spinach and tart sumac filling make it suitable as an appetizer, light meal or addition to a larger mezze table.

Visit Aladdin Cafe and enjoy our spinach pie with hummus, tabbouleh, falafel or your favorite grilled entrée.

Aladdin Cafe
1015 State Road 436, Suite 141
Casselberry, Florida 32707
Phone: 407-331-0488

Visit Aladdin Cafe or order online for pickup or delivery.ivery.