Quick Dough for Sfeeha, Fatayer and Manakeesh

Need a quick dough for sfeeha, fatayer or manakeesh that doesn’t demand half your day and your emotional stability? This one is soft, easy to work with, and ready much faster than a traditional bread dough. It’s perfect for Middle Eastern pies and flatbreads when you want the proper thing, just without the full dough saga.

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Middle Eastern Pies and Flatbreads

There are many variations of Middle Eastern pies and flatbreads, with different toppings, fillings, folds and shapes depending on the region, the family and the mood of the cook.

Sfeeha, fatayer and manakeesh all sit comfortably in that world, even if the spellings wander about a bit in English. You’ll see manakish, manakeesh or manaqish, and you’ll also come across sfeeha as sfiha or lahm bi ajeen. Transliteration likes to keep everyone on their toes.

So I thought I’d start with the quick dough I use for making them.

If you’ve been following me a while, you’ll know I’m not usually one for cutting corners. But this dough is one of those rare shortcuts that actually earns its keep. It gives you a soft, pliable dough in far less time than a traditional one, which is exactly what you want when the filling is ready and hunger is starting hangry.

When you’re craving Middle Eastern pies like sfeeha or fatayer but don’t have hours to let the dough rise, this quick dough is the answer. Soft, pliable, and versatile, it comes together in no time and holds up beautifully to all sorts of savoury toppings and fillings. Whether you’re making open-faced pies, little stuffed triangles, or flatbreads, this dough does the job without the wait.

Let’s take a look at how to make it, how best to store it, and whether it’s the fridge or freezer that’ll keep it in tip-top shape.

Easy and Quick Dough to the Rescue

Unlike traditional doughs that need a long rise to develop flavour and structure, this one uses yeast, baking powder and warm liquid to speed things up. That means you still get a soft, fluffy dough without spending half the day proofing.

It’s ideal for:

• open pies like sfeeha and lahm bi ajeen
• folded pastries like fatayer with spinach, cheese or meat
• mini manakeesh – click here for my traditional manakeesh recipe
• small savoury flatbreads in the same general family, even pizzas

I still wouldn’t call it a universal dough for every baked thing under the sun, because that’s how recipe posts start lying to people. But for this particular corner of Middle Eastern baking, it’s extremely useful.

Ingredients for our Quick Dough

• plain flour
• instant yeast
• baking powder
• sugar
• salt
• extra virgin olive oil
• warm water
• warm milk – for a softer dough, sometimes I even use evaporated milk for a richer dough, because you know I love evaporated milk. You can use all water for a crispier dough.

Quick Dough Recipe

This is what we’re doing:

1. Mix a little flour with the yeast, sugar, salt and warm liquids, then leave it to froth for 20 minutes.
2. Add the remaining flour and the olive oil.
3. Knead until you have a soft dough.
4. Divide into balls and let them rest for 10 minutes.

That’s it. Your dough is ready to shape, top and bake. No long proof, no unnecessary theatrics, no staring moodily at a bowl for two hours while wondering whether the yeast has betrayed you.

How to Store this Quick Dough

In the Fridge

If you’re not baking straight away, you can pop the dough in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Store it in an airtight container or a bowl tightly covered with cling film to avoid drying out.

Before using, let it come back to room temperature for 15-20 minutes and give it a quick 1-minute knead to reactivate the gluten. Form balls, and rest for 10 minutes, just like in the recipe card below.

In the Freezer

If you want to store it for longer, the freezer is your best bet. After kneading, wrap in cling film. Then place in a freezer bag or airtight container.

It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. To use, thaw overnight in the fridge or for a few hours on the counter. Once thawed, give it a 1-minute knead, divide, rest for 10 and it’s ready to go.

Tips for Using your Sfeeha Dough

A few things will make this dough work even better for you:

• If you’re making sfeeha or fatayer, be sure to flatten the dough a little thinner than you think as it puffs up in the oven.
• A hot oven gives the best results. You want the bottom crisp and the top golden. My oven runs hot, so I bake this dough at 210℃ (410℉).
• Brushing the edges with egg wash gives a lovely sheen and helps avoid dry crusts. I tend to skip this when I’m making for just the kids as my girls are allergic to the stuff. Which explains all the eggless cheesecakes, eggless brownies and the completely eggless tiramisu on this site!

This quick dough is one of those recipes that earns its place very quickly. It’s easy, forgiving, freezer-friendly, and useful for all sorts of Middle Eastern pies and flatbreads. The sort of thing you make once, then suddenly find yourself making for children, friends, surprise visitors and anyone else who happens to be hovering near the kitchen at the right time.

I do this all the time for my kids and their friends. Which is how the dough came about!

It’s easy to make, forgiving to work with, and stores beautifully if you follow the right tips. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or batch-prepping for the freezer, it’s one to keep in your back pocket.