Manakish Za’atar

Name: Manakish Za’atar
Prep time: 90 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 102 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 500g plain flour; 1 tsp instant yeast; 1 tsp sugar; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp olive oil; 300ml warm water; 1/2 cup za’atar blend; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

90mPrep12mCook6ServesMediumDifficulty

Manakish is the smell of a Lebanese morning. Soft flatbread spread with a paste of za’atar and olive oil, baked hot and eaten straight away - often folded around fresh tomato, cucumber and mint. It is the breakfast, snack and comfort food all Lebanese people grew up on.

VeganBreakfastBreadZa’atar

Ingredients

For the dough

●500g plain flour
●1 tsp instant yeast
●1 tsp sugar
●1 tsp salt
●2 tbsp olive oil
●300ml warm water

For the topping

●1/2 cup za’atar blend
●1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method

1
Combine flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add olive oil and warm water, and mix to a soft dough.
2
Knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and prove in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled.
3
Mix the za’atar and olive oil into a loose, spreadable paste.
4
Divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll each into a round about 1cm thick.
5
Spread each generously with the za’atar paste, right to the edges. Press dimples into the surface with your fingers.
6
Bake at 220°C for 10-12 minutes until the base is crisp and the edges are golden. Eat warm.

Teta's Tips

✦Don’t over-bake - manakish should stay soft and foldable, not crunchy.
✦Fold around fresh mint, tomato and a squeeze of lemon for the classic breakfast wrap.
✦A cheese version (manakish jibneh) uses akkawi or mozzarella instead of za’atar.

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From the cookbook