Sfeeha: Arabic Meat Pies of My Childhood

Nothing made me happier as a child than to see a couple of sfeehas in my lunchbox. For Arabs, sfeehas reign supreme over traditional cheese pizza. Sfeeha, or Sfiha, is  a round miniature meat pie, made in a myriad of ways depending on the region. In the Bethlehem region of Palestine, where my mother grew…… Continue reading Sfeeha: Arabic Meat Pies of My Childhood

MANAKISH: MIDDLE EASTERN ZA’ATAR FLATBREAD!

Back in 1997, I visited the town of Ramallah in the West Back to do volunteer work. I stayed at a Catholic convent, which also happened to be an orphanage. Every morning I would smell the nutty and fragrant za’atar spice, baking on fresh homemade bread called “manakish.” To this day when manakish are baking…… Continue reading MANAKISH: MIDDLE EASTERN ZA’ATAR FLATBREAD!