Sfeeha in the UK: what it is, how to order it, where to find it
Sfeeha (lahm bi ajin) are small open-topped Lebanese meat pies: rounds of soft dough topped with spiced minced lamb, tomato, onion and a tang of pomegranate molasses, baked until the edges crisp. The Baalbek style is a small round pie; the topping is sharper and more tomato-led than the Turkish lahmacun. They are a bakery staple and a mezze.
What sfeeha is
A soft yeasted dough is rolled into small rounds, and a topping of minced lamb mixed with finely chopped tomato, onion, pine nuts, seven-spice and a good hit of pomegranate molasses (and sometimes tahini or yoghurt) is spread on top, then baked in a hot oven. The classic Baalbeki sfeeha is a small, thick-edged open round; the flatter, thinner version is close to the Levantine lahm bi ajin and the Turkish lahmacun. The signature is the sour-sweet tang of pomegranate molasses cutting the rich lamb. They are eaten hot from the bakery, sometimes with a squeeze of lemon.
How to judge it
The dough should be soft and freshly baked, the topping juicy and tangy with pomegranate, the lamb well seasoned with seven-spice. Dry, sparse topping or stale dough is the low end. Baked to order and eaten hot, with the sour-sweet balance evident, is the mark of a good one. Pine nuts on top are a sign of a generous kitchen.
Sfeeha versus lahmacun versus manoush
Sfeeha (lahm bi ajin) is the Levantine meat-topped bread, tangy with pomegranate; the Turkish lahmacun is thinner and larger with a pepper-paste topping; manoush is the za'atar or cheese Lebanese breakfast bread. All are topped flatbreads; sfeeha is the small, tangy meat pie.
Where it is done well in the UK
Lebanese bakeries and restaurants. The list below shows areas with the most Lebanese restaurants.
How to order it
Order sfeeha (lahm bi ajin) hot from the oven; the topping should be juicy and tangy with pomegranate molasses, the dough soft and fresh. Squeeze lemon over. They are small; order two or three. Pine nuts on top are a good sign.
Where it's done well
UK councils with the most sfeeha specialists, by restaurant name, in our directory.
Restaurants near you
Search by postcode or use your location to find restaurants likely to serve sfeeha near you.
Make it at home
Serves 4 · 60 min
Ingredients
- for the dough: 300 g flour, 180 ml warm water, 1 tsp yeast, half tsp salt, 1 tbsp oil
- for the topping: 300 g minced lamb, 1 tomato finely chopped, 1 onion grated, 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses, 1 tsp seven-spice, 2 tbsp pine nuts, salt
Method
- 01Make a soft dough, knead and prove for an hour.
- 02Mix the topping ingredients into a spreadable paste.
- 03Roll the dough into small rounds, spread a thin layer of topping to the edge, and scatter pine nuts.
- 04Bake at 220°C on a hot tray for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges crisp and the lamb is cooked. Serve hot with lemon.
Pomegranate molasses is the defining tang; do not skip it. A hot tray gives the crisp base.