Hijazi Meat Mutabbaq

1Preparation

1. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, then add the lukewarm water gradually and knead until a dough forms.
2. Knead the dough for 10 minutes on a clean surface until it is smooth, soft and stretchy.
3. Divide the dough into 4 equal balls and coat them well with oil.
4. Cover the balls and let them rest for at least an hour so they stretch easily.
5. Finely chop the onion.
6. Wash the leek well between its layers, then slice it thinly.

2Cooking

1. Brown the minced meat with the onion in a pan without oil, breaking it up, until no pink remains and the liquid has evaporated.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 10 min timer
2. Stir in the salt, black pepper and baharat for 2 minutes, then take the meat off the heat and let it cool.

   🔥 low heat⏱ 2 min timer
3. In a small bowl, beat a quarter of the meat and a quarter of the leek with one egg using a fork.
4. Oil the work surface, then flatten a dough ball with your fingertips and stretch it from the edges until it is very thin and almost see-through.
5. Pour the filling into the centre of the dough, then fold the four sides over it to make a closed square.
6. Cook the square in a flat pan greased with a spoonful of oil, on both sides, until golden and crisp and the egg inside is set.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 8 min timer
7. Repeat the filling, stretching and cooking with the remaining balls.

   🔥 medium heat⏱ 24 min timer

3Serving

1. Cut each mutabbaq into four squares with a sharp knife.
2. Serve hot straight away with hot sauce on the side.

💡 Tips & common mistakes

• Common mistake: stretching the dough before it has rested — it shrinks back and tears. Give it a full hour, coated in oil.
• Mix the filling with the egg only just before filling, or it becomes runny and the dough is hard to fold.
• Small tears while stretching are fine; the folding covers little holes.

🔁 Substitutions

• Four green onions can replace the leek.
• Minced lamb can be used instead of beef.