Sfeeha - Step by Step

Sfeeha are a kind of middle eastern meat pies. In some parts they are known as lahm bi ajeen (which translates to 'meat with dough'). Their unique shape makes them look like little windows of goodness!

Instructions
Ingredients for dough
4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1 tbsp instant yeast
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 egg (plus one for glazing)
1 tbsp. melted butter
3 tbsp oil
2 tbsp. milk powder

Ingredients for Stuffing
500 gm lamb or beef mince
2 tbsp butter
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp drained thick yoghurt
2 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp sumac powder (optional)
1/2 tsp garam masala or all spice powder
1 tsp black pepper, crushed
1 tsp paprika powder
2 tsp pomegranate mollases or juice of one lemon
2 tsp red chilli flakes
4 tbsp chopped coriander or parsley
1 tbsp chopped mint
2 tsp tahini paste (optional)
2 tbsp roasted pine nuts (optional)
salt to taste

First prepare the dough. Sieve the flour, then add milk powder, baking powder, sugar, yeast and salt. Then add the oil, butter and the egg and mix together. Now add the milk gradually whilst kneading. You might not need it all, so add it sparingly until your dough is nice and soft. If more milk is needed to get a soft dough consistency, warm a little more and use. Knead for a good 8-10 minutes. The more you knead the softer the bread results will be. Touch a bit of oil with your fingertips and apply all over the ball of dough. Cover in a bowl and set aside for 40 minutes to an hour for it to double in size. While the dough is resting, prepare the filling. In most cases the mince is added into pies uncooked and then baked with the bun, however i prefer to cook the mince first just so that it is faster to bake the buns in the oven. Heat the butter in a pan, add the chopped onions and saute to soften them. Then add the mince, ginger, garlic, salt and all the powdered spices. Cook on high heat until the mince is almost fully cooked. It will cook a bit more in the oven so do not worry if it is slightly under done, just make sure to dry off any excess moisture. Allow it to cool.