Air Fryer Mini Za'atar Manakish
Twelve little whole wheat flatbreads with a soft, chewy crumb and a fragrant za'atar and olive oil topping, cooked in the air fryer in about 6 minutes per batch. Serve them warm for breakfast, snacks or a mezze spread.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Wait
- 1 hr 15 min
- Total
- 2 hr 3 min
- Makes
- 12 mini manakish (about 3½-inch / 9 cm each)
Steps
Before you start
- Plan on about 2 hours from start to finish. Most of that is the dough rising, which needs no attention.
- Check that 4 rounds of 3½-inch (9 cm) dough fit in your air fryer basket with a little space between them. For a small basket, cook 3 at a time and add a fourth batch.
- Use a perforated air fryer parchment liner, or lightly oil the basket. Plain parchment can lift and flip in the fan.
- Stir your za'atar before measuring. The thyme, sesame and sumac settle, and you want an even mix.
Activate the yeast
- In a large mixing bowl, stir the warm water (about 110°F / 43°C), sugar and instant yeast together.
- Leave it for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The surface looks creamy and foamy, with small bubbles and a yeasty smell.
Tip: If nothing foams after 10 minutes, the yeast is dead or the water was too hot or cold. Start again with fresh yeast.
Mix the dough
- Add the whole wheat flour, 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, salt and 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil to the bowl.
- Stir with a wooden spoon, then your hand, for about 2 minutes, until no dry flour remains and a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
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Ready when: All the flour is hydrated and the dough pulls into one rough, sticky mass.
Tip: Whole wheat flour absorbs water slowly, so the dough will soften as it rests. Resist adding extra flour now.
Knead until smooth
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, using about 1 tbsp (7 g) of the dusting flour.
- Knead for 8 minutes, pushing it away with the heel of your hand, folding it back and turning it.
- Use only as much of the remaining dusting flour as you need to stop sticking.
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Ready when: The dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. When you poke it, it springs back slowly.
Tip: Slightly tacky dough makes a softer flatbread. Too much flour gives dry, tough manakish.
First rise
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large bowl brushed with a little oil.
- Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
- Leave it in a warm spot for 60 minutes.
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Ready when: The dough has doubled in size, and a floured finger pressed in leaves a dent that fills back in slowly.
Tip: A cool kitchen may need an extra 15–30 minutes. Judge by the dough's size, not the clock.
Mix the topping
- While the dough rises, stir the za'atar and 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil together in a small bowl.
- The mixture should look like a loose, spoonable paste.
- Set it aside.
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Ready when: The spice is fully coated in oil with no dry clumps.
Tip: Stir again just before using, because the spices settle to the bottom.
Divide and shape
- Punch the dough down gently and turn it onto a lightly floured surface.
- Cut it into 12 equal pieces of about 54 g each.
- Roll each piece into a smooth ball, then roll it into a round about 3½ inches (9 cm) wide and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Place the rounds on a floured tray, leaving space between them.
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Ready when: The rounds are even in size and thickness, with no thin spots.
Tip: Keep the unshaped pieces covered with a towel so they don't dry out and form a skin.
Rest the shaped doughOven 375°F / 190°C
- Cover the rounds loosely with a towel and rest them for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3 minutes.
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Ready when: The rounds look slightly puffy and spring back slowly when pressed.
Dimple and top
- Work in batches of 4.
- Press your fingertips firmly into each round to make deep dimples, leaving a ¼-inch (6 mm) rim around the edge.
- Stir the topping and spoon about 1 tsp onto each round.
- Spread it to the edge of the dimpled area.
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Ready when: The surface is dimpled and evenly covered with a thin layer of topping.
Tip: Don't overload the topping. A thick pool of oil sinks in and makes the center greasy. Keep the spoonful for each round thin.
Air fry the first batchOven 375°F / 190°C
- Put a perforated parchment liner in the basket.
- Place 4 topped rounds on it, spaced about ½ inch (1 cm) apart.
- Air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 5–6 minutes, with no need to flip.
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Ready when: The edges are golden brown, the underside is lightly browned and the dough feels set when pressed. The topping is fragrant and sizzling.
Tip: Air fryers vary. Check at 5 minutes and add up to 1 more minute if the edges are still pale.
Finish remaining batches
- Move the manakish to a wire rack.
- Repeat the dimpling, topping and air frying with the remaining 8 rounds in 2 more batches, using the same temperature and time.
- Serve warm.
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Ready when: Every batch is golden at the edges and set in the center.
Tip: Top each batch just before it goes in. Topped dough that sits for too long gets soggy.
Good to know
Tips
- Press a fork lightly into the dough rounds to keep them from puffing up like pillows, if you prefer thinner manakish.
- Don't skip the dimples. They hold the topping in place and stop the oil running off in the hot air.
- Serve with labneh, sliced cucumber, tomato and fresh mint to turn them into a full meal.
- For a crispier base, roll the rounds a little thinner (⅛ inch / 3 mm) and add 1 minute to the cooking time.
Make ahead
"Make the dough through step 3, then cover and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Let it sit at room temperature for 45 minutes until puffy before dividing and shaping. You can also shape and bake the manakish without topping, then cool them. Top and re-crisp them in the air fryer for 2–3 minutes at 375°F (190°C)."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 1 day in an airtight container. Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 2 months, wrapped well or in a freezer bag with parchment between layers. Reheat at 350°F (175°C) in the air fryer for 2–3 minutes if refrigerated, or 4–5 minutes straight from frozen, until warm and the edges are crisp."
Substitutions
- za'atar spice blend → 2 tbsp dried thyme, 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, 1 tbsp ground sumac and ¼ tsp salt. A homemade blend is close to the real thing. Sumac gives the tang, so it's worth finding.
- whole wheat flour → white whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour for a softer bread. If you use all all-purpose flour (365 g total), reduce the water to 215 ml.
- instant yeast → active dry yeast, same amount. Active dry needs the full 5–10 minutes of blooming in the warm water. Check for foam.
- extra-virgin olive oil → avocado oil. The flavor is milder, but it still browns well and is safe at this temperature.