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Fasali
Layered butter pastry with honey
Azerbaijani layered butter pastry, pan-fried and served with honey
AzerbaijaniFasali is a festive breakfast in Azerbaijan, made on Novruz mornings and other holidays when the house is full: a thin dough is brushed with melted butter, folded again and again into many layers, then cooked slowly in a covered pan until crisp outside and flaky within. It comes to the table cut in wedges with honey, syrup or a glass of sweet tea. The common mistake is cooking over a high heat, which burns the outside before the inner layers have cooked through. Chef's tip: chill the folded parcel for 10 minutes between folds and the butter stays in clean layers.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
- 12 ½ oz plain flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup warm water
For layering and frying
- 4 oz unsalted buttermelted
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
To serve
- 6 tbsp honey or sugar syrup
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix the 12 ½ oz plain flour, ½ tsp salt and ¾ cup warm water and knead for 8 minutes into a smooth, elastic dough. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.
10 minStep 2: Divide into 2. Roll one piece on an oiled worktop as thin as you can, to about 45 cm across; you should almost see the worktop through it.
10 minStep 3: Brush the sheet with 1 ⅔ oz unsalted butter, fold the two sides into the middle, brush again, then fold top and bottom in to make a square parcel. Repeat with the second piece, then chill both for 10 minutes.
10 minStep 4: Roll each parcel gently into a 20 cm square about 1 cm thick and brush with a little more ⅞ oz unsalted butter.
5 minStep 5: Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil and the rest of the 1 ⅔ oz unsalted butter in a heavy frying pan over a low-medium heat. Cook one square, covered, for 8–9 minutes a side until deep golden and crisp, and the layers in the centre are no longer doughy when pressed. Repeat.
18 minStep 6: Cut into wedges and serve warm with 6 tbsp honey or sugar syrup.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fasali take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 50 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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