Fetira (Harari layered egg flatbread with honey)
Fetira: paper-thin pan-fried dough folded around beaten egg, drizzled with honey
EthiopianMorning in the old walled city of Harar and in Dire Dawa often starts with fetira, especially in Muslim homes during Ramadan's pre-dawn meal and on Eid mornings. A soft wheat dough is stretched until it is almost see-through, spread with beaten egg, folded into a parcel and fried in a little oil and butter until crisp and flaky outside, soft and eggy inside. It is cut into squares and eaten warm, drizzled with honey, with a cup of spiced tea or coffee. A common mistake is stretching the dough without a proper rest, so it tears; give it 30 minutes covered with oil and it stretches easily. Chef's tip: oil the worktop and your hands rather than flouring them, so the dough slides and stretches thin without sticking.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¾ cup warm waterapproximately
- 4 tbsp vegetable oilfor the dough, worktop and pan
To serve
- 4 tbsp honey
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz plain flour, ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp sugar, add most of ¾ cup warm water and knead for 8 minutes into a very soft, smooth dough. Add the rest of the water if it feels stiff.
8 minStep 2: Divide into 4 balls, coat each with a little of 4 tbsp vegetable oil, cover and rest for 30 minutes so the dough relaxes.
30 minStep 3: Beat 4 eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt.
Step 4: Oil the worktop. Flatten a ball with oiled hands and stretch it gently from the centre outwards into a very thin square about 35 cm across. Small holes are fine.
Step 5: Melt a quarter of 1 oz butter with a little oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Spread a quarter of the egg in the middle of the dough, fold the four sides over to make a 15 cm parcel and lay it in the pan, folds down.
Step 6: Fry for 3 minutes until golden and crisp, flip and fry for 2–3 minutes more until the second side is golden and the egg inside is set. Repeat with the rest.
6 minStep 7: Cut each into squares and serve hot, drizzled with 4 tbsp honey.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 71 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does fetira (Harari layered egg flatbread with honey) take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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 sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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