Feteer Meshaltet (Egyptian Layered Flaky Pastry)
Local name: فطير مشلتت
In short: Paper-thin dough stretched, brushed with ghee, folded and baked into shatteringly flaky layers. Serve warm with honey and white cheese. It takes about 55 min in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Resting
- 1 h 20 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Calories
- 400 kcal
Feteer meshaltet is one of Egypt's classic layered pastries: a soft dough stretched until almost transparent, brushed with ghee, folded into a square and baked until the layers shatter at the touch. It is eaten warm for breakfast or dinner, with honey, white cheese or sugar. The technique takes practice, but a long rest does most of the stretching for you.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the water and ghee, and knead for 8 to 10 minutes on a lightly oiled surface until smooth, elastic and soft.
- Divide the dough into 4 balls and coat each with oil. Cover and rest for 1 hour, until the dough feels very soft and stretches without snapping.
- Oil a large smooth work surface generously. Press one ball flat with oiled hands, then stretch it from the center outward until paper-thin, about 50 x 50 cm (20 x 20 in). Small tears are fine.
- Brush the sheet with melted ghee. Fold the four sides toward the center like an envelope, brush again and fold once more into a square about 12 cm (5 in) wide.
- Repeat with the other balls, then cover the squares and rest them for 20 minutes.
- Heat the oven to 230°C (450°F) with a baking tray inside. On a floured surface, gently press each square out to a 20 cm (8 in) round.
- Slide the rounds onto the hot tray, brush with ghee, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, turning the tray once, until deep golden and puffed.
- Serve hot, breaking the layers apart with your fingers, with honey and white cheese. Each feteer feeds two people.
Tips
- Stretch the dough on an oiled surface, not a floured one. Flour makes the dough tight and tears it, while oil lets it slide. If it springs back, rest it for 10 more minutes.
- Ghee between every fold is what separates the layers, so brush generously. Unbaked squares freeze well between sheets of parchment, and bake from frozen for 5 minutes longer.
Questions and answers
What is feteer meshaltet?
A flaky Egyptian pastry made of stretched dough layered with ghee. It can be eaten plain, sweet with honey or sugar, or savory with cheese.
Why is my feteer not flaky?
Usually the dough was not stretched thin enough or rested long enough, or there was too little ghee between the layers. Rest it well, stretch until you can almost see through it, and brush each fold generously.
Can I use butter instead of ghee?
Yes. Use melted butter, though ghee gives a nuttier flavor and does not burn as easily. Butter contains water, so the layers may be slightly less crisp.
How long does it take to make Feteer Meshaltet (Egyptian Layered Flaky Pastry)?
About 55 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Feteer Meshaltet (Egyptian Layered Flaky Pastry)?
About 400 kcal per serving, with 8 g of protein, 54 g of carbohydrates and 17 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 400 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 54 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 460 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
