Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
Lebanese Flatbreads with Spiced Beef, Tomatoes and Tahini
These delicious savory flatbreads are Middle Eastern in origin, but we learned about them in São Paulo, Brazil, where they’re called esfihas (sometimes spelled esfirras). The breads were introduced to Brazil by Arab immigrants, particularly from Lebanon and Syria, in the late 19th century. Esfihas might be formed into dumpling-like buns that fully enclose a filling, but the ones we favored were open-face like pizzas and about the size of a saucer, with a soft, tender, dinner-roll texture. Toppings varied from ground meat seasoned with spices to cheese to hearts of palm. At São Paulo’s Restaurante & Rotisserie Halim, Yasmin Sultan showed us how to make pizza-style esfihas. We adapted the recipe, adding some yogurt to the dough for a richer, more tender crumb that’s a perfect match for the garlicky, aromatic ground beef and tomato filling spiked with nutty tahini. Za’atar is an herb, seed and spice blend. It’s sold in most well-stocked supermarkets in the spice aisle, or look for it in spice shops or Middle Eastern grocery stores. If you have leftover esfihas, wrap them well and refrigerate for up to two days. Rewarm in a 425°F oven on a wire rack set in a baking sheet for five to eight minutes.
Makes twelve
5-inch pizzas
Don’t skip the step of salting and draining the tomatoes. Removing the excess moisture is important for preventing the crusts from becoming soggy.
2 hours
For the dough:
-
120grams (½ cup) plain whole-milk yogurt
Directions
-
01To make the dough, in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk the yogurt, ⅓ cup of the oil and ⅓ cup water. In a stand mixer with the dough hook, mix the flour, yeast and table salt on medium until well combined, about 15 seconds. With the mixer on low, drizzle in the yogurt mixture. Increase to medium and knead until the mixture forms a smooth, elastic dough that clears the sides of the bowl, 7 to 10 minutes; if the dough sticks, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. Meanwhile, coat 2 rimmed baking sheets with 2 tablespoons oil each.
Pardon the interruption
You need to be a Milk Street Digital Member to see the full recipe
JOIN MILK STREET DIGITAL & PRINT
12 WEEKS FOR JUST $1
and get access to all of our recipes and articles online, as well as in print.
GET DIGITAL & PRINT