Mtabaq sweet cheese pastry parcels

You’ll need

Ingredients (see recipe)
Large baking tray
Two large saucepans
Pastry brush
Greaseproof paper
Weighing scale
Access to oven
Access to sink
Heat protective equipment, such as heatproof gloves and mat.
Tea towels
Chopping board
Plates (one each)
Knife
Measuring jug
Wooden spoons
Tablespoons
First aid kit, including for burns
Washing up liquid
A way to put a fire out, such as fire extinguisher

Before you begin 

Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment, including examples can be found here. Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely. 
Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short on helpers.

Sweet Cheese Pastry Parcels Recipe

Ingredients serves 4-6

90g of melted salted butter
Thawed filo pastry or puff pastry
500g ricotta with 200g grated mozzarella cheese
20g crushed pistachios (optional)
260g caster sugar
3 cardamom pods
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
Plain flour for dusting plates while making parcels

Cook Time

Prep time: 60 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Setting up this activity 

Preheat the oven to either 180° C for a fan oven or Gas Mark 6.
Put out any tables you might use, along with ingredients, copies of the recipe and equipment.
Thawed filo or puff pastry must be covered with a clean damp tea towel to stop it drying out. Cut the pastry into 4 squares and cover with clean damp tea towel.
You should use either 1 sheet of filo pastry or 1 roll of ready roll puff pastry. Each sheet will be cut up in to 4 portions. Everyone should get either 2 squares of filo or 1 square of puff pastry.
Make sure there’s a responsible adult to manage the cooking sources, such as the oven and hob. This should be separate to people who are supervising young people or leading other activities. You can restrict access to the kitchen or cooking source to one group at a time, while everyone else prepares their ingredients in another supervised area. Always follow the Yellow Card.

Run the activity

Gather everyone together and tell them you’re going to be making mtabaq, a sweet cheese filled pastry parcel which is served in bakeries and cafes in Jerusalem. Mtabaq (m’tabaq or m’tabbak) means ‘folded’ in Arabic. Mtabaq is very often found in bakeries and café’s in Jerusalem, as well as many other parts of the Middle East. These can be made with filo or puff pastry, and they’re filled with cheese and covered with sugar syrup. Traditionally, Akkawi cheese is used, which can be bought from Middle Eastern stores. However, you can use ricotta mixed with mozzarella to make them too.
Ask everyone to wash their hands, then get into pairs or small groups. Each group should collect the ingredients and equipment, then find a space. You may want to provide printed copies of the recipe.
To make the syrup, in a separate pan, add the water and sugar. With an adult’s help and supervision, heat it on the hob over medium heat. Stir it with wooden spoon, either bringing it to boil or until the sugar’s been fully dissolved.
When the sugar’s dissolved, or the mix has been brought to the boil, add one tablespoon of lemon juice, then mix well. You may wish to add one teaspoon of orange blossom water, but this is optional.
In a large bowl, someone should mix the ricotta cheese and the mozzarella cheese together, using a spoon.
Everyone should lightly dust their plates with flour, then take the squares of pastry they need and place them on the plate. You should use either two square of Filo pastry or one square of puff pastry per person.
Everyone should place two large tablespoons of the cheese mixture into the middle of the pastry square, then spread the mixture around with the back of the spoon or your fingers. You should leave a 5cm gap between the cheese and the edge of the pastry.
Fold the four corners of the pastry over, so the tips meet in the middle of the square. Gently press down on the pastry edges to seal the cheese in.
Someone should cut pieces of greaseproof paper to the size of the baking trays, then place the paper on the baking trays.
Place the pastry parcel gently on top of the greaseproof paper on the baking trays. Place it with the seam side facing down.
An adult volunteer should melt the butter in a pan. Once melted, the melted butter should be left to cool slightly on a heatproof surface to one side and out of reach of young people. Remember to turn the hob off.
An adult volunteer should brush each parcel with the melted butter.
Use a knife to cut a small cross in the centre of the parcel.
An adult should place the trays in the oven and let the parcels bake for around 15 to 20 mins, or until the pastries are a crisp, golden brown.
Once the pastries are cooked, an adult should carefully remove the trays from the oven, using heatproof protective equipment, such as heatproof gloves. The pastries should be left on a heatproof surface to one side and out of reach of young people. Remember to turn the oven off.
Once the pastry parcels have cooled, everyone should use a spatula to place their parcel on the plate. They should then spoon two or three tablespoons of the sugar syrup on to the parcel.
People may want to add crushed pistachio nuts on top of their pastries.
Once the pastries are cooled, you can try tasting them.

Reflection

This activity gave everyone the opportunity to try something new and work as a team to cook some Mtabaq. Have you made anything similar before? How easy was it to make? What was it like following the recipe? What did it taste like? Did you enjoy it?

You had to work as a team to make the pastry parcels. How did you make sure everyone could be involved? How did you make sure everyone could share and use their skills? Did everyone get to have a turn at the different stages, such as making the syrup?

What was it like folding the pastry? Did you have any problems? If so, how did you solve them? How did you make sure everyone stayed safe too?

If you could put anything inside the pastry parcels, what ingredients would you use? You could use fruits, jam, chocolate or something else.

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Flammable items: Always take care when using flammable items, especially if you’re near fire. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions and guidelines.
Hot items and hot water: Kettles, cookers and microwave ovens produce a lot of heat by the very nature of them. Caution is needed when in contact with items that have been heated and young people should use them under adult supervision. Use on a suitable surface, protecting it if necessary. Never leave hot items unattended and make sure there’s a nearby first aid kit, with items to treat burns/scalds.
Food: Remember to check for allergies, eating problems, fasting or dietary requirements and adjust the recipe as needed. Make sure you’ve suitable areas for storing and preparing food and avoid cross contamination of different foods. Take a look at our guidance on food safety and hygiene.
Fires and stoves: Make sure anyone using fires and stoves is doing so safely. Check that the equipment and area are suitable and have plenty of ventilation. Follow the gas safety guidance. Have a safe way to extinguish the fire in an emergency.
Cooking: Teach young people how to use cooking equipment safely. Supervise them appropriately throughout. Make sure it’s safe to use and follow manufacturers’ guidelines for use.
Sharp objects: Teach young people how to use sharp objects safely. Supervise them appropriately throughout. Store all sharp objects securely, out of the reach of young people.

Make it accessible

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.