Feteer meshaltet ( , literally “cushioned pie” or “cushion-like pie”), often simply referred to as meshaltet (), is a traditional Egyptian flaky layered pastry. It is composed of numerous thin layers of dough and ghee. Feteer meshaltet is typically served with sweet or savory accompaniments. Sweet versions are commonly dipped in

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of pl ...

or molasses, or spread with

jam Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent is sugar and sometimes acid, often stored in glass jars and used as a condiment or spread. There are many varieties of fruit preserves globally, distinguished by the meth ...

, while savory pairings include cheeses such as

mish Mish ( ) is a traditional Egyptian cheese that is made by fermenting salty cheese for several months or years. Mish may be similar to cheese that has been found in the tomb of the First Dynasty Pharaoh Hor-Aha at Saqqara, from 3200 BC. It is g ...

, as well as

olives The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...

and

torshi Torshi, tursu or turshi () are the pickled vegetables of many Middle Eastern, Iranian, Slavic and Balkan cuisines. Torshi is common in Arab, Turkish, Assyrian, Kurdish, Afghan, Balkans, Slavic, Armenian, and Iranian cuisine. Iran has hundr ...

. Pies made from the same type of dough but prepared with various fillings instead of multiple layers of dough are generally referred to as

feteer Feteer ( , literally "pie") is a traditional Egyptian pie known for its flaky, layered texture and variety of fillings. It is distinct from feteer meshaltet, a plain, layered pastry typically served without fillings. Feteer is always filled or t ...

, distinguishing them from the plain feteer meshaltet. Feteer meshaltet is considered a symbol of hospitality in Egypt. It was notably served to U.S. President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

during his visit to Egypt in June 2009. It is traditionally offered to guests and is commonly prepared for holidays, weddings, and other celebrations.

History

Feteer meshaltet dates back to

ancient Egypt Ancient Egypt () was a cradle of civilization concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in Northeast Africa. It emerged from prehistoric Egypt around 3150BC (according to conventional Egyptian chronology), when Upper and Lower E ...

, where it was known as ''maltoot''. It was placed in temples as an offering to the

gods A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...

. File:Fateer Dough Balls.jpg, Dough balls prepared for making feteer meshaltet File:Fatir 003, Lion Village.JPG, Stretching and layering the dough File:Egyptian-food-49.jpg, Trays of feteer meshaltet before baking File:Egyptian-food-48.jpg, A traditional oven used to bake it File:Fatir 023, Lion Village.JPG, Freshly baked feteer meshaltet

References

External links

Feteer meshaltet recipe – Amira's PantryFeteer meshaltet recipe from ''Cairo Kitchen'' by Suzanne Zeidy
{{Cuisine of Egypt Egyptian cuisine Arab desserts Arab pastries

History

See also

References

External links