Fiteer Meshaltet

Ingredients

• 4 cups plain flour
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/4 cups warm water
• 1 cup unsalted butter or ghee, melted
• Honey or molasses to serve

Before you cook

• Melt the butter or ghee and let it cool to warm, not hot.
• Have a well-oiled work surface or tray ready for stretching the dough.

Steps

1. Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Add the oil and rub it into the flour with your fingers.
3. Pour in the warm water gradually, mixing until a dough forms.
4. Knead the dough on an oiled surface for 10 minutes until smooth and very stretchy.
5. Divide the dough into 6 equal balls.
6. Coat each ball generously in the melted butter.
7. Cover and let the balls rest for 20 minutes.
8. Oil a large flat surface and place one ball on it.
9. Stretch and pull the dough outward with your hands until it is paper-thin, almost see-through.
10. Drizzle a little more melted butter over the stretched sheet.
11. Fold the edges of the sheet inward, then roll the whole piece into a loose ball again.
12. Repeat the stretching, buttering and folding with the remaining dough balls.
13. Let the folded balls rest for 10 minutes.
14. Flatten each ball by hand into a round, keeping the layers intact.
15. Heat a dry flat pan or griddle over medium heat.
16. Cook each round for 4 minutes per side until golden and the layers puff and separate.
17. Serve warm, torn into pieces and drizzled with honey.