Lebanese Manakish with Za'atar

Name: Lebanese Manakish with Za'atar
Prep time: 56 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 1 h 7 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 1¼ cups (300 ml) water, warm, about 105–110°F (40–43°C); 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; 2¼ tsp (7 g) instant or active dry yeast; 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting (see below); 1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt; ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the rising bowl; ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface; 6 tbsp (45 g) za'atar blend; 0.38 cup (90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 small (200 g) ripe tomatoes, sliced into rounds (optional); 1 small (150 g) small cucumber, sliced into rounds (optional); ½ cup (10 g) fresh mint leaves, whole leaves, loosely packed (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Soft, chewy flatbreads with a crisp golden edge, dimpled and spread with a fragrant paste of za'atar and olive oil. Serve them warm for breakfast with fresh tomato, cucumber and mint, the way they come from Lebanese street bakeries.

Prep: 56 min
Cook: 11 min
Wait: 1 hr 25 min
Total: 2 hr 32 min
Makes: 6 flatbreads (7-inch / 18 cm each)

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the dough
1¼ cups (300 ml) water, warm, about 105–110°F (40–43°C)
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
2¼ tsp (7 g) instant or active dry yeast
4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting (see below)
1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the rising bowl
¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface
For the topping
6 tbsp (45 g) za'atar blend
⅓ cup (90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
To serve
2 small (200 g) ripe tomatoes, sliced into rounds (optional)
1 small (150 g) small cucumber, sliced into rounds (optional)
½ cup (10 g) fresh mint leaves, whole leaves, loosely packed (optional)

Equipment (8)

Large mixing bowl
2 rimless or rimmed baking sheets, about 18×13 inches (46×33 cm)
Parchment paper
Rolling pin
Small bowl for the topping
Pastry brush or the back of a spoon
Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap
Kitchen scale (optional but helpful)

Steps

Before you start

Measure the flour by weight if you can (500 g). Scooping cups can pack in too much flour and make the dough dry.
Heat the water to about 105–110°F (40–43°C), which feels comfortably warm, not hot. Hot water will kill the yeast.
Give yourself about 2½ hours in total. Most of that is hands-off rising and resting time.
Use a good, fragrant za'atar blend that already contains thyme, sesame and sumac. Check that it smells bright and not dusty.
Leave your oven rack positions ready: one in the upper third and one in the lower third.

1
Foam the yeast
- Pour the 300 ml (1¼ cups) warm water into a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in the sugar and yeast.
- Leave it for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: The surface is covered with a creamy, bubbly foam about ¼ inch (5 mm) thick and smells yeasty.
Tip: If there is no foam after 10 minutes, the yeast is dead or the water was the wrong temperature. Start again with fresh yeast.
2
Mix and knead dough
- Add the 500 g (4 cups) flour, salt and the 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil to the yeast mixture.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, pushing it away with the heel of your hand and folding it back.
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Ready when: The dough is smooth, soft and slightly tacky but not sticky. When you press a finger in, it slowly springs back.
Tip: Resist adding lots of extra flour. A slightly soft dough bakes into a more tender manakish.
3
First rise
- Pour the 1 tbsp olive oil into a clean large bowl and roll the dough ball in it to coat.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel.
- Leave it in a warm spot (about 75–80°F / 24–27°C) for 60 minutes.
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Ready when: The dough has doubled in size and a fingertip dent springs back slowly, leaving a slight impression.
Tip: In a cool kitchen, set the bowl in the oven with just the light on.
4
Make za'atar topping
- In a small bowl, stir together the za'atar and the 90 ml (⅜ cup) olive oil until it forms a loose, spreadable paste, like wet sand that glistens.
- Set it aside.
- Stir again just before using, as the za'atar settles.
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Ready when: The za'atar is fully moistened with no dry pockets, and the mixture is pourable but thick.
Tip: Don't make the paste too thin. Too much oil will pool and make the centre soggy.
5
Divide and rest doughOven 475°F / 245°C
- Place two racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C) and put two baking sheets inside to heat.
- Meanwhile, punch down the risen dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.
- Cut it into 6 equal pieces, about 135 g (4¾ oz) each.
- Roll each piece into a smooth ball by cupping your hand over it and rotating it against the counter.
- Cover the balls with a towel and rest for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: The balls look puffy and feel soft, and the oven has been at temperature for at least 15 minutes.
Tip: Use a kitchen scale to weigh the pieces so the flatbreads bake evenly.
6
Roll out rounds
- Cut two sheets of parchment to fit the baking sheets.
- On a lightly floured surface, flatten each ball with your palm, then roll it into a round about 7 inches (18 cm) across and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Place 3 rounds on each sheet of parchment with at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them.
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Ready when: Each round is even in thickness, with no thin spots or holes.
Tip: If the dough springs back, cover it and let it rest for 5 minutes, then try again.
7
Dimple and top
- Press your fingertips firmly all over each round to make dimples, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) border clear.
- Stir the za'atar paste again.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons onto the centre of each round and spread it out to the border using the back of the spoon.
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Ready when: The topping covers the dough evenly up to the border, and the dimples hold small pools of oil.
Tip: Keep the border bare. This is the part that puffs up and turns golden and crisp.
8
Bake manakishOven 475°F / 245°C
- Slide the parchment with the rounds onto the hot baking sheets, or carefully lift the parchment onto the hot sheets.
- Bake at 475°F (245°C) for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Swap the sheets between racks and rotate them front to back after 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The edges are puffed and golden brown, the bottoms are lightly browned and the za'atar topping smells toasty and is bubbling.
Tip: Watch closely in the last 2 minutes. Za'atar burns quickly and turns bitter.
9
Cool and serve
- Let the manakish rest on the sheets for 3 minutes.
- Serve them warm, whole or folded in half, with the tomato slices, cucumber slices and mint leaves on the side or tucked inside.
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Ready when: The flatbreads are warm and fold without cracking.
Tip: Eat soon after baking, when the edges are crisp and the centre is soft.

Good to know

Tips

Preheated baking sheets give the bottom a bakery-like crispness and help the dough puff quickly.
Do not skip the clean border around the edge when topping; it creates the classic puffed crust.
For a cheesy version, sprinkle 1 cup (100 g) shredded mozzarella or crumbled akkawi cheese over the za'atar for the last 3 minutes of baking.
For softer manakish, brush the hot bread with a little olive oil and cover loosely with a clean towel for 5 minutes.

Make ahead

Make the dough through step 2, then refrigerate it in the oiled, covered bowl for up to 24 hours. Let it come to room temperature for 45 minutes, then continue from step 5. The za'atar paste can be mixed up to 3 days ahead and kept covered at room temperature.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: 1 day, loosely covered. Fridge: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 2 months, wrapped well with parchment between pieces. Reheat from fridge or frozen on a baking sheet at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 8 minutes, until warm and the edges crisp up again.

Substitutions

all-purpose flour → bread flour. Gives a slightly chewier flatbread. Use the same weight; you may need 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of water.
za'atar blend → 2 tbsp dried thyme + 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds + 1 tbsp sumac + ½ tsp salt. A homemade blend if you can't find za'atar. Reduce the salt if your dough is already well seasoned.
instant or active dry yeast → active dry yeast. Use the same amount. It works in this recipe since it is foamed in warm water first.
extra-virgin olive oil → light olive oil. A milder flavour if extra-virgin oil tastes too peppery to you.