Homemade Lebanese Sfeeha

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1. 1Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F, prep your work area by cleaning your surface and having a lint-free towel or clean pillowcase handy. Prep your sheet tray by lining it with parchment paper and spraying some cooking spray. I also like to lightly brush the parchment with some olive oil for flavor and color on the bottom of the pies.
2. 2Step 2: Add yeast and sugar to your warm milk, mix it with a fork, and then set it aside for a couple of minutes.
3. 3Step 3: To the bowl of your stand mixer, add the flour, olive oil, salt, and yeast mixture. Knead on speed 4 on a KitchenAid mixer (or medium-low speed on other mixers) for 2–3 minutes. The dough should look smooth and form a uniform ball that pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
4. 4Step 4: Leave the dough in your bowl and place a bit of olive oil on the bottom of the bowl and on top of the dough. About a 1/2 tablespoon to 1 tablespoon should be enough. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel and place in a warm spot in your kitchen to let it proof or rise at room temperature for about 40 minutes.
5. 5Step 5: In a food processor, add your roughly chopped onions and process until they’re fine. Add the finely chopped onions to a sieve lined with a cheesecloth over a large bowl. Do the same with your tomatoes. (Making sure there are a few visible bits of tomato left. Meaning don’t process it until it’s completely liquid.) Allow this mixture to drain of moisture for about 20-30 minutes.
6. 6Step 6: Pour out the liquid that dripped into your large bowl and wipe it down well with a paper towel. Add your beef or lamb to the bowl along with the tomato/onion mixture. Add salt, black pepper, olive oil, and pomegranate molasses and mix well. Taste the end mixture to see if you need to adjust anything to your liking. The filling should have some moisture, but it shouldn’t be overly wet. If needed, gently pat away excess moisture with a paper towel.
7. 7Step 7: After resting, the dough should have doubled in size now. Gently punch down the dough, then use a dough cutter (bench scraper) to divide it into four equal chunks. Place these pieces of dough on a lint-free towel or a clean pillowcase and cover until ready to use.
8. 8Step 8: Grab one dough piece and begin to roll it out onto a lightly floured surface. Use a floured 3″ round cutter to cut out round shapes. Lift any scrap dough, re-roll it, and let it rest on your towel or pillowcase covered for later use.
9. 9Step 9: Begin to flatten out the round with your fingers, then use your rolling pin to further flatten out the circle as evenly as possible. Place 1 tablespoon or so of the meat filling in the center of your round. Lightly flatten the meat with your fingers or the bottom of the spoon so it spreads out a bit. (Be careful not to overfill the pie, but you do want enough filling for the dough to hang onto when baking, so they don’t open up. It’s a delicate balance, but I found about a tablespoon did the job well.)
10. 10Step 10: Using lightly floured fingers, pinch and seal the edges until you form four corners and a square-shaped pastry.
11. 11Step 11: Lightly pat down on the meat pie. Place the meat pie on the prepared baking sheet and continue this until you have your sheet tray filled with enough meat pies. Leave about an inch between them as they will expand as they bake. One last time, lightly pat down to flatten the pie slightly and use floured fingers to ensure the edges are sealed.
12. 12Step 12: Turn the oven down to 375°F and bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Turn on the broiler for the final minute to add color to the tops. Once baked, transfer the pies directly onto the towel or pillowcase and season with a sprinkling of salt, and cover immediately. The trapped steam helps keep them soft. Turn the broiler off and the oven back on, and repeat this process until you run out of dough. Serve warm or at room temperature with cold laban for dipping and fresh lemon wedges to squeeze over top. Enjoy!