Za'atar - Spinach and Cheese Pies with Wild Thyme and Sesame Seeds

Home-Made Yuftka Dough

1. Sift the flour with the salt into a medium mixing bowl.
2. Make a well in the middle of the flour and add all the wetingredients. Using your hands to draw flour in from the sides, work the mixture into sticky dough.
3. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for about three minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
4. Working on a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into half and then each half into six pieces.
5. Using a lightly floured rolling pin roll the balls of dough into flat rounds so that they are about 15cm in diameter.
6. Heat the griddle or a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat and wipe it with a little oil. Slap one of the flat rounds onto it. Using your fingertips to shift the dough about, making sure it browns and puffs up here and there. Brush the upper side with more oil and flip it over.

Spinach and Cheese Filling

1. In a small skillet, melt one tablespoon of butter and add the onion.
2. Cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent about six-eight minutes. Cool and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, prepare the filling by combining the cheeses, cooked onion, herbs and spinach.
4. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

To serve

1. Spread ¼ cup or more filling evenly over the cooked side of the pastry. Fold it in four.
2. Crisp the pies on both sides to brown them and melt the filling.
3. Spoon za’atar over the top just before serving.