Fatayer (; ; ) are meat pies that can alternatively be stuffed with spinach or cheese such as feta or akkawi. They are part of Arab and Levantine cuisine and are eaten in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Fatayer are also popular in Argentina, where they are considered a variety of empanada under the name (singular form ), and in Brazil, where they are known as ("closed sfihas", singular form ).
Some fatayer are commonly frozen and reheated prior to eating.
The word fatayer is derived from the Arabic word (), whose plural form is .
Different combinations of fillings and shapes are used for fatayer. Common fillings include:
A variety of spices may also be used for each variant. The shapes also vary; some are fully enclosed triangles, while other are shaped like boats with part of the filling exposed. The dough is sometimes unleavened, and can be flavored with spices like mahleb.
Empanadas ÃÂ rabes, or fatay, are a variation of fatayer popular in some Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Colombia, and Venezuela.
Fatay are triangular, with a filling typically consisting of tomato, onion, and minced meat, and topped with lemon juice. They are sometimes open-faced and sometimes closed; they closely resemble sfiha.