Lebanese Inspired Manakish Bread

A delicious, soft and seasoned flat bread, perfect for dipping in a spicy curry or stew. Also delicious heaps of hummus lashed all over. Manakish, or manaquish or man’ ousheh (singular) is a popular Lebanese flatbread also enjoyed in other regions within the Levant (eastern mediterranean). It’s usually topped with a warm and spicy seasoning called Za’atar.

I hope you give it a try, it’s a pretty straightforward recipe, longest part is waiting for the dough to rise, the rest takes less than 20 minutes.

Lebanese Manakish Flatbread

Deborah

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Prep Time 12

Cook Time 8

Rise Time 1 30

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Lebanese

Servings small loaves

Ingredients

Dough

400 g Plain Flour
250 ml Warm Water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp Active Dry Yeast (2 sachets)
2 tbsp Olive Oil
3 tbsp Z'Atar (link to recipe below)

Za'Atar Spice Mix

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp tasted cumin seeds
1 tbsp sumac
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp paprika pepper
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp salt

Instructions

Yeast

Ensure you have 250 ml warm water to hand, add in the sugar and give it a swirl. Next add in the yeast and leave to bloom for about five minutes.

The Dough

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and once the yeast has frothed, pour it into the flour, give it a quick mix then gather together into a rough and raggedy dough all.

The Knead

Knead the dough for approximately 8 minutes, until it is smooth and elasic. Then pop it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a teatowel and leave to rise for 90 minutes.

Za'Atar Seasoning

While the dough is rising you can prepare your seasoning. First thing I like to do is toast the sesame seeds and cumin seeds for a couple of minutes. It doesn't take long, just enough time to bring out there flavours. so 2 minutes in a hot pan is usually enough.
Next transfer to a pestel and mortar. Allow to cool and grind up the spices.
Then in a bowl add all the other spices and the ground cumin and toasted sesame seeds. Leave to one side until you are ready to use.

Shape, Season and Oil

Knockback the dough, then divide it into 6 pieceas. Line a large oven tray with grease proof paper.
As you shape each secion of dough into a rough slipper, use your fingers to dimple the dough, then brush each piece liberally with olive oil.
Next sprinkle 3 tbsp of Z'Atar all over the flat bread.
Pre-heat oven to 200°C. Cover the spiced bread loosely with a teatowl and let proove for a further 20 minutes.