Sfeeha (Lebanese Meat Pies)

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1. 1Step 1: In a large bowl, mix the flour, active dry yeast, sugar, salt, and oil. Add the lukewarm milk and mix well.
2. 2Step 2: Knead the dough until it has a smooth, even texture. Slam it a couple of times onto the countertop before covering it with cling film. This will strengthen the gluten in the flour, resulting in a very light and fluffy dough. Set aside for one hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.
3. 3Step 3: In the meantime, prepare the meat filling: Place the tomatoes and onions in a blender and blend until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender.
4. 4Step 4: Transfer the puréed tomatoes to a bowl. Add the minced meat, salt, spices, and chili flakes, if using. Stir well to thoroughly combine the mixture.
5. 5Step 5: Strain the filling to remove any excess liquid. This is a crucial step to prevent the sfeeha from unravelling while baking.
6. 6Step 6: Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Place the rack in the center of the oven.
7. 7Step 7: When the dough has doubled in size, flour a countertop and divide the dough into equal-sized balls, roughly the size of a ping-pong ball.
8. 8Step 8: Stretch each piece of dough into a round circle about ½ cm thick using a rolling pin. Make sure to flour the countertop and rolling pin from time to time to prevent the dough from sticking.
9. 9Step 9: Place a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of each circle of dough. The classic way is to pinch the two opposite ends of the round dough together, creating a square-shaped sfeeha.
10. 10Step 10: Another way to shape sfeeha is to crimp the edges around the filling, creating pleats as you go.
11. 11Step 11: Lightly grease two large baking sheets with oil. Place the sfeeha on the greased baking sheets, making sure not to overcrowd them.
12. 12Step 12: Bake each sheet for about 12 minutes, until golden. Serve warm with a squeeze of lemon juice for an extra kick, or with some plain yogurt or Purslane Yogurt Salad on the side.