Today I’m sharing Olive Za’atar Rolls.
Forget about every other Arabic savory pastry. Seriously. The deliciously tangy filling of minced olives, crushed walnuts, Aleppo pepper paste, and lemon juice is so addicting, it deserves its own merit. The dough, however, is so fluffy, silky, and adoringly studded with zesty za’atar (oregano) leaves. Honestly, the combination is not like anything you’ve had before.
My mom started coming up with this recipe about 20 years ago, and I’ve seen it unfold over time, first starting off with a ready-mixed olive salad, and then transforming into what it is today: dangerous and to-die-for. I can pop 5 in my mouth before I even blink.
Most people have the same mo3ajanat (savory pastry) dough recipe and just swap out fillings. My mom, however, being the ambitious perfectionist she is, has paired a different dough recipe for each variety. You measure 4 c flour, 3/4 c olive oil, some salt, yeast, a bit of sugar, and some fresh za’atar leaves in a stand mixer. You then slowly add 1.5 c of warmed milk, which gives it an almost creamy quality. The za’atar leaves can be subbed with fresh oregano or left out completely, depending on availability. To make it dairy free, use your favorite milk alternative or water.
In order to shape these, you will roll out your dough into an 8 in x 6 in wide rectangle. You will divide that rectangle into 3 sections, cutting into the right and left edges, making 8 in x 2 in or so rectangles. From each rectangle, you’ll cut on an angle, making about 8-10 triangles. Then roll out each triangle until it’s thin, place a spoon of filling, and fold the dough over it and roll it up. It sounds complicated, but I promise, once you do a few, you’ll get the hang of it. I hope the video of my mom rolling some will help!
Let’s do a quick run down of the ingredients:
Olives
Any variety of jarred pitted olives will work. We use a mixture of green, kalamata, and pepper-stuffed green varieties. They’ll be strained, chopped in the food processor, then squeezed dry.
Aleppo/Turkish Pepper Paste
One of my favorite ingredients. It’s the foundation of muhammara, and it’s also super tasty for chicken marinades and seasoning eggplant or cauliflower. Aleppo peppers are a fruity and mildly spicy red pepper grown in the north of Syria. Since the brutal civil war started, it has grown much more difficult to access the original pepper. Some farmers moved their seeds across the border into the south of Turkey. The Turks also grow their own. The peppers are dried out in the sun, ground up into a paste and preserved with salt. Both Turkish and Aleppo have slight variations, but they can pretty much be used interchangeably, depending on what you find. I find the Aleppo variety a bit punchier. In the UAE I get Aleppo Pepper Paste from Bait al Moona al Halabi in Sharjah (Google location here) or Al Douri Signature. In the US, you can find some at your local Middle Eastern grocer or on Amazon here.
Walnuts
They provide a wonderful nutty flavor and crunch to the stuffing.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is such a necessary ingredient in mo3ajanat filling. It really balances out the flavors with the perfect acidic punch.
Lemon Olive Oil
Lemon-infused olive oil will be your new go-to secret ingredient. It complements the lemon juice beautifully. It’s also excellent in salad dressings, and just about everywhere else you use olive oil. If you don’t want to purchase another pantry item, replace with zest from 1 lemon and olive oil. I use Brightland (but really, how can you resist with those pretty bottles).
Za’atar
I’m not talking about the ever popular spice blend, but actual za’atar leaves, which most closely resemble marjoram or oregano, and gives a really zippy quality to the dough. It grows wild throughout the Levant, and it might not be available everywhere, especially in the US. When I find it, I dry mine out in the oven and store them in a freezer bag so I can keep them around all the time. Feel free to leave it out. These will still turn out absolutely delicious.
I hope you give this recipe a try! If you do, don’t forget to put it in the comments to let everyone know how it turns out. I also love to see your creations! You can tag @omayah.atassi and #omayahcooks on Instagram.
Other mo3ajanat (savory pastries):
Aleppo Pepper Flatbread (Khobz bil Flefli)
Fatayer Bijibn (Cheese Pies)
Sfeeha (Meat Pies), and a Plant Based Version Too!
Vegan Sfeeha 2.0
Olive Za'atar Rolls
Ingredients
- 4 c all-purpose flour
- 3/4 c olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp instant yeast
- 1/4 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh za'atar leaves, marjoram, or oregano (optional)
- 1.5 c full fat milk
- 750 g/1.5 lb assorted jarred olives (kalamata, green, stuffed, etc.)
- 2 c finely chopped walnuts
- 1.5 tbsp cumin
- 3 tbsp Aleppo/Turkish pepper paste
- 1/4 c lemon juice, plus more to taste
- 1.5 tbsp lemon oil, or olive oil + zest from one lemon
- 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients except for the milk in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook attachment.
- Warm the milk in the microwave until warm to the touch, slightly more than body temperature.
- With the mixer running on medium-low, gradually add the milk until fully incorporated. Mix for another 2-3 minutes until it starts to come together.
- Dump out the dough onto a floured surface. I like to roll it into a ball by gliding my pinky fingers underneath, sliding the ball towards me as I turn it 45 degrees to allow it to get a smooth film on top. If that sounds complicated, don't worry, just form it into a ball any which way and place back in the bowl.
- Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size.
- Finely chop the olives in a food processor in batches
- Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and adjust seasoning. Set aside until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180° C and place the rack in the middle of the oven. Divide the dough into 2 even pieces. Roll out each piece into an 8 in x 6 in wide rectangle.
- Divide the rectangle into 3 sections, cutting into the right and left edges, making 8 in x 2 in or so rectangles.
- On the bottom left corner of one rectangle, cut at about a 45° angle, forming a triangle. From the top right corner of that triangle, cut another line going down at another 45° angle. Continue across the rectangle to form even triangles. Repeat with other rectangles.
- Roll out each triangle until it's about 1/8 in thin.
- Position the longest edge near you. Place a large spoon of filling along that edge. Fold two corners on top of the filling. Roll the edge up over the filling and keep going until you form a roll. Place on silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down, and repeat.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden-brown. Allow to cool.
- It's hard to get the exact filling to dough ratio right. Leftover filling or dough can be frozen for months in a zip top bag.