Baked stuffed daman

Ingredients

• 500 g Type 45 flour (Sift before use)
• 100 g Extra fine semolina (Adds texture to the dough)
• 1 c. à café Sugar (Optional, balances the salt)
• 1 c. à café Salt (Do not overfill the spoon)
• 2 c. à soupe Sunflower oil (For the dough)
• 1 c. à soupe White vinegar (Helps the dough's flexibility)
• 330 g Water (Room temperature)
• 1 Large onion (Finely chopped)
• 1 Green bell pepper (Chopped, seeds removed)
• 1 Red bell pepper (Chopped, seeds removed)
• 200 g Ground meat (lamb or beef) (Can be half‑and‑half)
• ½ c. à café Turmeric
• 1 c. à café Paprika (Plus a little for brushing)
• ¼ c. à café Black pepper
• 2 c. à soupe Olive oil (For sautéing the vegetables)
• 50 g Pitted green olives (Chopped)
• 2 c. à soupe Fresh cilantro (Chopped)
• 80 g Butter (Divided: 80 g for the dough, plus a little for brushing)
• 80 g Burger cheese (cheddar type) (Sliced or grated)

Instructions

1. Prepare the dough

   In the food processor, combine the flour, semolina, sugar, salt, sunflower oil, vinegar, and water. Knead for about 10 minutes until a smooth, elastic dough forms.

   Time: PT10M

2. Dough resting

   Shape into a ball, brush with a thin layer of oil, wrap in plastic film and let rest at room temperature for 2 hours (or at least 30 minutes if you are in a hurry).

   Time: PT2H

3. Prepare the filling

   Finely chop the onion, green bell pepper and red bell pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium‑high heat, add the vegetables and sauté until most of the water evaporates (about 8‑10 minutes). Add the ground meat, salt, pepper, turmeric and paprika, cook until the meat is well browned.

   Time: PT10M

4. Finish the filling

   Remove from heat, stir in the chopped green olives and fresh cilantro. Let cool completely before stuffing the dough.

   Time: PT10M

5. Shape the balls

   Divide the rested dough into 9 portions of 100‑110 g each. Roll each portion into a ball, flatten into a disc about 1 cm thick, place 20‑30 g of butter in the center, fold the edges to enclose the butter, then lightly flatten.

   Time: PT15M

6. Stuff the balls

   On each disc, place a slice of cheese, add a tablespoon of filling, then close the dough by pinching the edges to form a well‑sealed ball. Brush the top with a mixture of melted butter and paprika.

   Time: PT5M

7. Baking

   Preheat the oven to 200°C (static heat). Arrange the balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, lightly prick the tops with a fork and bake for 25‑30 minutes until golden.

   Time: PT30M

   Temperature: 200°C

8. Finishing and serving

   Remove the damans from the oven, sprinkle a little grated cheese on top for garnish and let rest for 2 minutes before serving.

   Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

250

Protein

12 g

Carbohydrates

30 g

Fat

10 g

Fiber

2 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Type 45 flour: All-purpose flour
• Instead of Extra fine semolina: Medium semolina
• Instead of Sugar: Honey (reduce the amount)
• Instead of Salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Sunflower oil: Light olive oil
• Instead of White vinegar: Apple cider vinegar
• Instead of Water: Slightly warm water
• Instead of Large onion: Shallot
• Instead of Green bell pepper: Zucchini
• Instead of Red bell pepper: Yellow bell pepper
• Instead of Ground meat (lamb or beef): Veal, White meat mix
• Instead of Turmeric: Mild paprika
• Instead of Paprika: Mild chili pepper
• Instead of Black pepper: White pepper
• Instead of Olive oil: Sunflower oil
• Instead of Pitted green olives: Black olives
• Instead of Fresh cilantro: Flat‑leaf parsley
• Instead of Butter: Margarine, Olive oil
• Instead of Burger cheese (cheddar type): Grated cheese, Mozzarella

Equipment Needed

• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Mixing bowl
• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Skillet (or sauté pan)
• Wooden spatula
• Baking sheet
• Plastic wrap
• Oven
• Kitchen brush
• Kitchen scale

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Dough resting (at least 30 min, ideally 2 h)
• Evaporation of vegetable water to avoid a soggy filling
• Properly seal the balls to prevent filling leakage
• Bake at 200°C until golden

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very cold butter to create small air pockets in the dough.
• Lightly sprinkle paprika on top before baking for extra color and aroma.
• Let the balls rest for 5 minutes after removing from the oven so the steam distributes evenly.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3 days.

Freezer: Wrap individually and freeze for 1 month.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Prepare the dough the day before and keep it in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.
• The filling can be cooked 24 hours ahead and kept refrigerated.
• Unbaked balls can be frozen and baked directly from the freezer (add 5‑10 minutes to the baking time).