Mutabbaq Stuffed Flatbread
Pan-fried flatbread parcels filled with spiced minced beef, leeks and egg, folded thin and crisped in oil until golden and juicy inside.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 300 g
- 160 ml
- 2 tbsp
- 1 ¼ tsp
- 400 g
- 3 cloves
- 1 tsp
- 1 tsp
- ½ tsp
- ½ tsp
Process
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Mix 300 g plain flour and 0.5 tsp salt in a bowl. Add 160 ml lukewarm water and 2 tbsp vegetable oil, then knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
Heat a dry pan over medium heat. Add 400 g minced beef and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains. Spoon off excess fat.
Add 2 finely chopped leeks, 3 sliced spring onions and 3 grated garlic cloves to the beef. Cook for 4 minutes until softened.
Stir in 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 0.5 tsp sweet paprika, 0.5 tsp black pepper and 0.75 tsp salt. Cook 1 minute, then spread the filling on a plate and cool completely.
Divide the dough into 4 balls. On a floured surface roll each into a very thin 25 cm square, about 2 mm thick.
Beat 2 eggs. Brush the edges of one dough square with egg. Place a quarter of the cooled beef filling on one half, leaving a 2 cm border.
Fold the empty half over the filling and press the edges firmly to seal. Fold the sealed parcel in half again to make a smaller triangle. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Heat 120 ml vegetable oil in a wide pan over medium heat until a scrap of dough sizzles gently. Fry the parcels 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp.
Drain on paper towels for 1 minute, then cut in half and serve hot.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The most common mistake is a wet filling: cool the beef mixture completely and drain any liquid before wrapping, or the dough will split in the oil.
- Roll the dough as thin as you can without tearing, about 2 mm; thick dough stays pale and chewy instead of crisp.
- Fry over medium heat, not high. If the oil is too hot the dough browns before the filling is hot; if too low the parcels soak up oil.
- Seal the edges with beaten egg and press with a fork; any gap lets oil in and the parcel opens.
Substitutions
- minced beef→minced lamb or minced chicken
- leeks→white onion, finely chopped
- vegetable oil→sunflower or corn oil
Storage & reheating
Cool leftovers completely, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To reheat, place on a baking tray in a 180°C oven for 8 to 10 minutes until hot and crisp; avoid the microwave, which makes the dough soggy. Freeze cooked parcels in a single layer for up to 2 months, then reheat from frozen at 190°C for 15 minutes.
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my mutabbaq split open while frying?
The filling was too wet or the edges were not sealed well. Cool the beef completely and drain off fat and juices before wrapping, and brush the border with beaten egg and press it firmly with a fork. Also avoid overfilling each square.
Can I make mutabbaq ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble the parcels, put them on a tray, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before frying. You can also fry them 2 hours ahead and reheat at 180°C for 8 minutes. Do not store them assembled and raw for longer than a day, as the dough softens.
How do I know when the mutabbaq is cooked through?
The dough should be deep golden on both sides and rigid when lifted with tongs, about 3 to 4 minutes per side over medium heat. If the dough browns in under 2 minutes, the oil is too hot and the filling may still be cold in the middle.
Can I use puff pastry or ready-made flatbread instead of the dough?
Puff pastry works but gives a flaky, buttery result rather than the chewy-crisp traditional texture; bake at 200°C for 20 minutes. Ready-made flatbread is too thin and tends to tear, so it is better to make the simple 4-ingredient dough.
Why is my filling dry and crumbly?
Lean mince and overcooking cause this. Use beef with some fat, cook it only until no pink remains, and add the leeks and spring onions for moisture. The beaten egg brushed on the dough also helps keep the filling juicy.
Can I freeze mutabbaq?
Yes, freeze cooked parcels in a single layer for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 190°C for 15 minutes until crisp and hot. Raw assembled parcels can also be frozen for 1 month; fry from frozen, adding 1 minute per side.
What can I use instead of leeks?
Finely chopped white or brown onion is the closest substitute; use 1 large onion for 2 leeks. Spring onions alone also work if you increase them to 6. Cook any substitute until soft so it does not release water inside the parcel.
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