Bulgogi Beef Manakish

Name: Bulgogi Beef Manakish
Prep time: 1 h 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2¼ tsp (7 g) instant yeast; 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar; 1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt; 1¼ cups (300 ml) water, warm, about 105°F (40°C), comfortable to the touch; ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the bowl and brushing the dough rims; ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface; 1 lb (450 g) boneless ribeye or sirloin steak, sliced across the grain as thin as possible (⅛ inch / 3 mm), then cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce; 2 tbsp (25 g) light brown sugar, packed; 1 tbsp (14 ml) toasted sesame oil; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated; ¼ cup (60 g) Asian pear or sweet apple, peeled and coarsely grated (about ¼ of a pear); 1 tbsp (16 g) gochujang (optional); ¼ tsp (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola); 10 oz (280 g) low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 2½ cups); 4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts, divided; 2 tbsp (18 g) toasted sesame seeds

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Soft, olive-oil-rich Lebanese flatbread rounds topped with sweet-savory seared bulgogi beef, melty mozzarella, scallions and toasted sesame. Crisp at the edges, chewy in the middle, and a great way to use leftover bulgogi flavors in a hand-held bake.

Prep: 1 hr 5 min
Cook: 20 min
Wait: 1 hr 35 min
Total: 3 hr
Makes: 8 manakish (6½-inch / 16 cm rounds)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the dough
4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
2¼ tsp (7 g) instant yeast
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt
1¼ cups (300 ml) water, warm, about 105°F (40°C), comfortable to the touch
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the bowl and brushing the dough rims
¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface
For the bulgogi
1 lb (450 g) boneless ribeye or sirloin steak, sliced across the grain as thin as possible (⅛ inch / 3 mm), then cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (25 g) light brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp (14 ml) toasted sesame oil
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
1 tbsp (6 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
¼ cup (60 g) Asian pear or sweet apple, peeled and coarsely grated (about ¼ of a pear)
1 tbsp (16 g) gochujang (optional)
¼ tsp (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 whole (30 g) scallions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp (14 ml) neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
For the topping
10 oz (280 g) low-moisture mozzarella, shredded (about 2½ cups)
4 whole (60 g) scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts, divided
2 tbsp (18 g) toasted sesame seeds

Equipment (8)

Large mixing bowl
2 half-size or full 18×13-inch (46×33 cm) rimmed baking sheets
Parchment paper
12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet or cast-iron pan
Kitchen scale
Rolling pin
Pastry brush
Instant-read thermometer

Steps

Before you start

Partially freeze the beef for 30 minutes if it is not already sliced; firm meat is much easier to slice thinly.
Start the dough first: it needs about 75 minutes to rise, and you will marinate and cook the beef during that time.
Use low-moisture shredded mozzarella (not fresh); fresh mozzarella releases water and makes the topping soggy.
You will bake in two batches of 4 rounds each on two baking sheets, so clear both oven racks to the upper and lower thirds.

1
Mix the dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the 500 g (4 cups) flour, yeast, sugar and salt.
- Add the warm water and the ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil.
- Stir with a wooden spoon or your hand for about 2 minutes until no dry flour remains and a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
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Ready when: No dry flour is left and the dough forms a shaggy mass.
Tip: If the water feels hot on your wrist it is too hot and will damage the yeast; aim for bathwater-warm.
2
Knead until smooth
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface (use a little of the dusting flour).
- Knead for 8 minutes, pushing with the heel of your hand and folding, until the dough is smooth, soft and slightly tacky.
- Add a teaspoon of flour at a time only if it sticks stubbornly to your hands.
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Ready when: The dough springs back slowly when poked with a fingertip and feels smooth and elastic.
Tip: Resist adding too much flour; a slightly soft dough bakes into a tender manakish.
3
Let dough rise
- Brush a clean large bowl with 1 teaspoon of the extra olive oil.
- Add the dough, turn it once to coat, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and leave in a warm spot (75–80°F / 24–27°C) for 75 minutes.
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Ready when: The dough has doubled and a floured finger leaves a dent that fills back in slowly.
Tip: In a cool kitchen, place the bowl in an off oven with the light on.
4
Marinate the beef
- While the dough rises, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, grated pear, gochujang (if using), black pepper and the 2 marinade scallions in a medium bowl; stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the sliced beef and toss with your hands until every piece is coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for the remainder of the rise (at least 30 minutes, up to 2 hours).
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Ready when: The beef is evenly coated and no sugar granules remain in the marinade.
Tip: Do not marinate longer than 2 hours; the pear enzymes will turn the beef mushy.
5
Sear the bulgogi
- Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes and add half the neutral oil.
- Lift half the beef from the marinade with tongs, leaving excess liquid behind, and spread it in a single layer.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes without moving, then stir and cook 1–2 minutes more.
- Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
- Let cool 5 minutes, then discard leftover marinade.
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Ready when: The beef is deeply browned with sticky, caramelized edges and no pink remains; the pan juices have reduced to a glaze.
Tip: Cook in two batches. Crowding steams the meat instead of browning it.
6
Preheat and divideOven 475°F / 245°C
- When the dough has doubled, arrange oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C).
- Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Gently deflate the dough and divide it into 8 pieces of about 110 g each (use a scale).
- Roll each piece into a tight ball, place on a floured surface, cover with a towel and rest for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Balls are puffy and relaxed, and the oven has reached 475°F (245°C).
Tip: Give the oven a full 15–20 minutes to preheat so the crust sets quickly.
7
Shape and top
- Roll or pat each ball into a 6½-inch (16 cm) round about ¼ inch (6 mm) thick and place 4 rounds on each prepared sheet.
- Press a ½-inch (1 cm) rim around each edge with your fingertips and brush the rims lightly with the remaining extra olive oil.
- Scatter about 35 g (¼ cup) mozzarella over each round inside the rim, then top with about 40 g of the cooked beef and half of the topping scallions.
- Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
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Ready when: Each round has a defined rim and an even layer of cheese and beef.
Tip: Save the other half of the scallions for after baking; raw scallions on top stay fresh and bright.
8
Bake the manakishOven 475°F / 245°C
- Bake both sheets at 475°F (245°C) for 10–12 minutes, swapping the sheets between racks and rotating them front to back after 6 minutes, until the rims are deep golden brown and the cheese is bubbling with a few browned spots.
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Ready when: Rims are deep golden brown, cheese is melted with brown spots, and the underside is golden and firm when lifted.
Tip: Pale rims mean underbaked dough; give them another 1–2 minutes if needed.
9
Finish and serve
- Transfer the manakish to a wire rack and let them rest for 5 minutes so the cheese sets slightly.
- Scatter the reserved scallions over the tops and serve warm, cut in halves or folded in half.
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Ready when: The cheese no longer slides when the manakish is tilted.
Tip: Serve with kimchi, cucumbers or a drizzle of gochujang mayo for contrast.

Good to know

Tips

Slice the beef thin and small so it cooks through quickly and is easy to bite through on the flatbread.
Do not overload the dough: about 40 g of beef and 35 g of cheese per round keeps the center from turning soggy.
A preheated baking steel or inverted sheet pan gives a crisper bottom; slide the parchment with the manakish directly onto it.
Pat excess marinade from the beef before searing, or it will steam rather than caramelize.

Make ahead

"Marinate the beef up to 2 hours ahead (no longer). The dough can rise overnight in the fridge after kneading: cover the oiled bowl tightly and refrigerate up to 18 hours, then bring to room temperature for 45 minutes before dividing. The beef can be seared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated."

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: wrap individually and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat from the fridge in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes, or from frozen for 15–18 minutes, until hot in the center and the bottom is crisp.

Substitutions

boneless ribeye or sirloin steak → thinly sliced boneless chicken thigh or pork shoulder. Cook chicken to 165°F (74°C) and pork to 145°F (63°C); sear time is similar.
low-moisture mozzarella → Monterey Jack or a mozzarella-and-akawi blend. Use the same weight; avoid very salty cheeses since the beef is already seasoned.
Asian pear or sweet apple → sweet apple or 1 tbsp extra brown sugar plus 1 tbsp water. Pear tenderizes and adds sweetness; the substitute keeps the flavor balance.
all-purpose flour → bread flour. Gives a chewier crust; add 1 extra tablespoon (15 ml) water if the dough feels stiff.