Za’atar Manakeesh

This dish, also known simply as za’atar, reigns as the king of manakeesh, delivering an herby za’atar blend of thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds in robust olive oil atop the thin crust. When each man’oushe first exits the oven, the za’atar topping may seem too oily, but within minutes it will set to look and taste just right. If your za’atar blend contains salt, omit the additional salt.

Prep: 23 minutes

Cook: 12 minutes

Total: 35 minutes

Makes: 4 (8-INCH, 20-CM) FLATBREADS

Special Equipment: pizza stone or baking steel, bread peel

Lebanese Baking: More Than 100 Recipes for Sweet and Savory Baked Goods Maureen Abood

INGREDIENTS

For the Topping

• 24 grams (4 tablespoons) za’atar

• 63 grams (¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil

• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt (optional)

For the Dough

• 30 grams (¼ cup) bread flour or unbleached all-­purpose flour for shaping

• 1 recipe Manakeesh Dough

DIRECTIONS

1. Arrange an oven rack in the lowest position and remove any other racks. Place the baking steel, baking stone, or an overturned dark, heavy baking sheet on the rack. Preheat the oven to 550°F (288°C) or its highest temperature.

2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the za’atar, olive oil, and salt, if using. Set aside.

3. Lightly dust the center of the bread peel with a pinch of flour and place it next to your work area.

4. Dust the counter with the flour, place a dough ball on it, and dust the top with flour. Pat down the dough and roll it into a 9-­inch (23-­cm) circle, maintaining an even thickness. As you roll, stop to lift the dough and rotate it to roll an even circle and to prevent it from sticking to the counter. Dock the dough with a fork or docker, pricking the top all over.

5. Transfer the dough to the prepared peel. Spoon a quarter (22 grams) of the za’atar oil on the center of the dough. Use the back of the spoon or an offset spatula to coat the dough evenly, leaving a ⅛-­inch (3-mm) border around the perimeter. Some spots will have more za’atar than others.

6. Shake the peel to ensure that the dough moves easily. If any spot sticks to the peel, lift the dough and dust more flour underneath it.

7. Transfer the dough from the peel to the baking surface in the oven. Bake until the edges turn golden brown and slightly char in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. If needed, use heatproof tongs to turn the bread for even browning.

8. Use tongs to transfer the bread back to the peel. Let the bread cool on a cutting board for at least 
3 minutes.

9. Repeat with the remaining dough balls.

10. To serve, quarter each man’oushe with a pizza wheel or chef’s knife or fold it in half and wrap it in wax paper to eat on the go.

Notes

In a sealable plastic storage bag, store the manakeesh in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw if frozen and warm in a 250°F (120°C) oven for 10 minutes.

Tip: Enjoy this man’oushe with cool, creamy labneh and fresh mint for one of the finest flavor and texture pairings you can imagine.

Variation: For equally traditional za’atar cheese manakeesh, use a quarter of the topping from the recipe for Cheese Manakeesh (page 226, Lebanese Baking) for each man’oushe, adding it halfway through baking.

Reprinted from Lebanese Baking: More Than 100 Recipes for Sweet and Savory Baked Goods by Maureen Abood. Text copyright © 2024 by Maureen Abood. Photography © Kristin Teig. Used with permission of the publisher, Countryman Press, an imprint of W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.

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