Manakish Za'atar

About This Recipe

Manakish is Lebanon's beloved breakfast flatbread — a pillowy, slightly chewy dough topped with a generous slather of za'atar mixed with good olive oil and baked until fragrant and the edges blister golden. Eaten warm with fresh tomato, cucumber, olives, labneh, and sweet tea, it is a morning ritual across the Levant.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 400 gstrong white bread flour
• 7 ginstant dried yeast (1 sachet)
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 240 mlwarm water
• 5 tbspza'atar spice blend
• 5 tbspextra-virgin olive oil (for topping)
• 1 tbspsesame seeds (extra, optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add olive oil and warm water. Knead for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and prove in a warm place for 60–90 minutes until doubled.

2. 2

   Make the za'atar topping

   Mix za'atar with 5 tbsp olive oil until a thick, spreadable paste forms. It should not be dry. Taste and add a small pinch of salt if the za'atar blend is unseasoned.

3. 3

   Shape and top

   Preheat oven to 250 °C (480 °F) with a baking stone or heavy baking sheet inside. Divide dough into 6 balls. Roll each into a thin 20 cm circle on a lightly floured surface. Spread a heaped tablespoon of za'atar paste over each disc, leaving a 1 cm border.

4. 4

   Bake

   Slide manakish onto the hot baking stone or sheet in batches. Bake for 6–8 minutes until the edges are puffed and lightly golden and the topping is fragrant. Serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Manakish with cheese: top with shredded Akkawi or mozzarella instead of or alongside za'atar.

• •

  Add a drizzle of pomegranate molasses over the baked za'atar topping for sweet-tart contrast.

Storage

Best eaten straight from the oven. Refrigerate up to 2 days wrapped; re-warm in a hot dry pan.