Ingredients
Dough
- 400 gplain flour
- 250 mlwarm water
- 1 tspsalt
- 100 mloil
Filling
- 4eggs, beaten
To serve
- honey
- spiced butter, optional
- tea
Directions
- Mix the flour, salt and water into a soft dough and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Divide into four, coat each ball thoroughly in oil, and rest them submerged in oil for at least an hour.
- Resting the balls in oil is what lets you stretch them paper-thin without tearing. An hour is the minimum and two is better.
- Oil a large smooth surface generously.
- Take a ball and press it out with oiled palms, then stretch it from the centre outward until it becomes a huge translucent sheet you could read through.
- Stretch it rather than rolling it. A rolling pin cannot get it thin enough and tears it in the attempt.
- Pour a quarter of the beaten egg over the centre of the sheet and spread it out into a square.
- Fold the four sides in over the egg to make a sealed parcel.
- Fry in a hot oiled pan for 3 to 4 minutes a side, pressing down with a spatula, until golden and crisp.
- Cut into squares with scissors and serve hot with honey drizzled over the top.
- It is a breakfast pastry shared across Eritrea and Ethiopia, often made for children and to break a fast.
Technique
- The egg is sealed inside rather than cooked on top, which is what distinguishes it from a plain fried bread.
- It is eaten with honey almost universally, and with spiced butter in some households.
- Stretch on a surface you can walk around. It is easier than trying to work from one side.
Substitutions
- A large plastic sheet on the table, oiled, if your worktop is rough.
- Ghee for frying, which browns better than plain oil.
Variations
- Made plain without egg and eaten with honey alone.
- With berbere-spiced butter for a savoury version.
- Layered without folding, as a stack of thin sheets.
History
A breakfast pastry shared across Eritrea and Ethiopia, often made for children and for the end of a fast.
Frequently asked questions
What is Fatira?
Fatira is a bread & pastry from Eritrea: layered pan-fried dough folded around egg and eaten with honey. A breakfast pastry shared across Eritrea and Ethiopia, often made for children and for the end of a fast.
How long does Fatira take to make?
Fatira takes 20 min plus 1 hr resting of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 pastries. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Fatira?
Yes, within limits. A large plastic sheet on the table, oiled, if your worktop is rough. Ghee for frying, which browns better than plain oil.
What is the most important thing to get right in Fatira?
Stretch it rather than rolling it. A rolling pin cannot get it thin enough and tears it in the attempt.
