Pizza

This is how I've made it since my little sister bought me my first cookbook with a pizza recipe in it. I can call it mine because I've perfected it from that version. :-) Makes about three large pizzas.

Crust:
1 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 c warm water (warm to the touch but not hot)
1 tbsp olive oil
4 c flour

Let first four ingredients sit until the yeast is spongy (shouldn't take longer than 5 minutes). Add flour bit by bit until dough forms. Coat hands with olive oil and mix until the rest of the flour is in. Let rise in a warm place for at least one hour. Spread out with oil or flour and let rise in pan another hour, making sauce or cutting toppings in the meantime.

Sauce:
1 can tomato sauce or 6 skinned, chopped tomatoes
1 onion
5 large chopped mushrooms (optional)
1 clove garlic
fistful thyme
pinch oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp cumin

Sauté onion and mushrooms in olive oil. Add garlic. When translucent, add chopped tomatoes and 1/4 c cold tap water. Stir until the tomatoes get mushy. Add spices to taste. Cumin makes the tomatoes taste less tinny, in my opinion. Once tender, mash tomatoes. Adding tomato sauce from the can also works, although fresh tomatoes are better.

Push down risen dough in pan, cover with tomato sauce, 2 cups grated mozarella per pizza and toppings of choice. Bake at 400 F until dough is crispy and toppings are golden, about 20 minutes.

Sfeha

That's the closest way I can think to spell it. Arab meat pies, modified by my mom. Real mid-east meets mid-west kind of food.

4 onions
1 lb ground meat
Fry onions, then add meat (beef or lamb). Add "meat spices"; aka, 'baharat'. Also possibly allspice. And cinnamon. Put aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl, combine 3/4 cups yoghurt (leban), 2 full tbs tahini, 2 tbs vinegar, and 5 chopped tomatoes. Mix and add meat.

Break open a can of biscuit dough, punch down the rolls until about 1/4 inch in thickness. Add meat filling. Bake at 350F until done.

Fatayer

Dough: 2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbs oil or shortening

Sift flour and salt and rub in shortening until crumbly. Add warm water to make soft dough. Knead until smooth. Cover with damp cloth and let rest for 1/2 hour. Roll out and fill. Bake at 400F in a well greased pan until golden brown.

Fillings:
1. Cheese: 1 cup feta, 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 cup parsley, and one finely chopped onion. Mix together
2. Meat: 1 lb ground meat, 2 tbs butter, 1 finely chopped onion, 1/2 cup pine nuts lightly brown, juice of 1/2 lemon. Salt, pepper and allspice to taste. Saute onions. Add meat and spices. Fry until color chage. Stir in pine nuts and lemon juice.
Variation: 4 tbs leban (yoghurt) instead of lemon juice.
3. Spinach: 1 lb spinach, 1 onion finely chopped, 1 lemon juiced, 1/4 c olive oil, 1/2 tsp sumac (optional), salt and pepper. Drain spinach, chop and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 15 minutes, then squeeze out excess moisture. Add other ingredients and mix.