Fish fataya
🐟 Golden fried pastries filled with flaked fish, tomato, onion and lemon.
Ingredients
- 🌾 500 g wheat flour
- 💧 250 ml warm water, added gradually
- 🧫 7 g dry baker’s yeast
- 🥚 1 medium egg
- 🫗 50 ml neutral oil for the dough, plus about 1 litre for frying
- 🧂 8 g fine salt and 1 teaspoon sugar
- 🐟 350 g firm white fish fillet, fresh or thawed in the refrigerator
- 🧅 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 🍅 1 ripe tomato, about 150 g, seeded and diced
- 🧄 1 crushed garlic clove, optional
- 🍋 1/2 lemon, juice and finely grated zest optional
- 🌿 10 g chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- 🌶️ 1/2 teaspoon cumin, black pepper and optional chili
- 🧂 3 g salt for the filling, adjust after cooking the fish
Preparation
🧼 Keep the fish cold until cooking. Check for bones in good light, then cut it into large pieces. Use a board separate from ready-to-eat food and wash your hands after handling it.
🐟 Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pan. Cook the fish over medium heat for 4–6 minutes per side, depending on thickness, until opaque and easy to flake. Transfer it to a clean plate, remove any remaining bones and flake it with a fork.
🧫 Mix the yeast and sugar with 100 ml warm water; wait 5–10 minutes for a light foam to appear. If no foam forms, check the yeast date before continuing.
🌾 Put the flour and 8 g salt in a large bowl. Add the egg, 50 ml oil and activated yeast; gradually pour in the remaining water. Knead for 8–10 minutes to make a soft, smooth dough, then cover and rest for 30 minutes in a warm place.
🧅 During the rest, heat 1 tablespoon fresh oil. Cook the onion for 4–5 minutes, add the optional garlic and tomato. Cook for 8–10 minutes until the liquid evaporates; stir in the flaked fish, cumin, pepper and 3 g salt.
🍋 Take the pan off the heat and add the lemon juice or zest and herbs. Taste carefully, then spread the filling on a plate to cool completely. It should be moist and fragrant but have no free liquid that could open the pastries.
🔪 Divide the dough into 8 balls. Roll each into a thin disc about 14 cm wide on a lightly oiled surface. Put a portion of cold filling in the center, leaving a clean border; do not press the fish to the edge.
🥟 Lightly moisten the border, fold into a half-moon and press out the air around the filling. Press, pinch or crimp the edges with a fork without piercing the dough. Lay the pieces flat and check every seal before heating the oil.
🔥 Heat frying oil in a stable pot. Test with a small piece of dough: it should rise with a gentle sizzle, without browning at once. Fry the fatayas in small batches for about 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and hot in the center.
🧺 Drain on a rack or absorbent paper. Open one piece to check that the filling is steaming hot and fully cooked; let it cool for a few minutes before serving. Keep remaining pieces refrigerated if service is delayed.