The pizza of the Arabic world, manakeesh is a round bread sprinkled with either cheese, ground meat or herbs (zaatar). It’s ideal for breakfast or lunch. Varieties come from both fancy Levantine restaurants or street vendors.
In Lebanon, manakish (also known as manakeesh and manaqish; singular manousheh) are frequently eaten for breakfast and may be topped with herbs, cheese, or meat. We especially like the versions with zataar, a balanced mix of herbs and spices like thyme, oregano, lemony sumac, and toasted sesame seeds. Blended with olive oil, zaatar makes an excellent topping for bread.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
- 1 envelop instant or rapid yeast
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup very warm water (120 degree to 130 degrees)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup or more of zaatar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Zaatar Manaeesh Recipe
- In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, undissolved yeast, and salt.
- Stir very warm water and olive oil into flour mixture.
- Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough.
- Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 4 to 6 minutes. Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.
- Lightly oil 1 (14-inch) or 2 (12-inch) round pizza pan(s). Sprinkle with cornmeal. Shape dough into smooth ball. Divide and roll dough to fit desired pan(s). Top with as much zaatar as desired. Drizzle on as much olive oil as desired.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes or until done.
- Baking time depends on size and thickness of crust.
