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Manakish with Za'atar and Cheese
5 from 2 votes

Manakish with Za'atar and Cheese

Manakish (also spelled Manaqish) is a popular Middle Eastern flatbread made with a soft and fluffy dough that is typically topped with za'atar, cheese, or ground meat.

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
Servings: 6 pieces
Calories: 404 kcal
Course: Breakfast, Snacks
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Lebanese

Ingredients

For the Dough
  • 300 g strong white flour
  • 180 ml water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 7 g fast action dried yeast
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
For the Za'atar Topping
  • 2 tablespoon za'atar spice blend
  • 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the Cheese Topping
  • 75 g olive oil
  • 100 g feta cheese
  • 1 tablespoon nigella seeds

Instructions

Preparing the Dough
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, olive oil, and dried yeast together.
  2. Add the water, and stir until a dough forms.
  3. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Place the dough back in the bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Preparing the Toppings
  1. For za'atar topping, in a bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of olive oil with 3 tablespoons of za'atar seasoning. The mixture should be easily spreadable. Set it aside.
  2. To make the cheese topping, crumble the feta cheese in a bowl. If you are using halloumi or mozzarella cheeses, grate them, and set them aside. Keep the nigella seeds separately to sprinkle on top of the pastries.
Shaping and Baking the Pastries
  1. Preheat the oven to 210° C (410° F).
  2. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and let them rest for 15 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Keep them covered with a damp kitchen towel to avoid them drying.
  3. Using a rolling pin, roll each circle out into a flat circle size of 15 cm (6") Ø on a lightly floured surface.
  4. Arrange the dough circles on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Gently press your fingertips into the dough to create small dimples, which will prevent the dough from rising too much during baking.
  5. Next, it's time to add the toppings to the dough circles. For the Za'atar Manakish, be generous and ensure that you cover the surface of 3 dough circles with the za'atar and olive oil mixture. Leave a small border around the edges to allow for rising during baking.
  6. For the Cheese Manakish, spread the crumbled cheese evenly on the other 3 dough circles. Sprinkle on nigella seeds and you're good to go.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 7-8 minutes until the edges are golden brown.

Notes

  • Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes to develop gluten and create a soft and elastic dough.
  • Let the dough rise in a warm place for at least an hour or until it has doubled in size.
  • When dividing the dough into equal pieces, use a scale to ensure consistency in size.
  • To prevent the dough from rising too much during baking, create small dimples in the dough with your fingertips before adding the topping.
  • If you're using akawi cheese for the topping, make sure to soak it in cold water overnight to reduce the saltiness and improve the flavor.
  • Use a crumbly cheese like feta or akawi, which will melt easily and provide a salty contrast to the dough.
  • Serve the Manakish bread hot and fresh out of the oven for the best taste and texture.

Nutrition Information

Calories 404kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 8g (16%) Fat 24g (37%) Saturated Fat 5g (25%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g (12%) Monounsaturated Fat 15g (75%) Cholesterol 15mg (5%) Sodium 581mg (24%) Potassium 75mg (2%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 0.5g (1%) Vitamin A 70IU (1%) Vitamin C 0.003mg (0%) Calcium 91mg (9%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 pieces

Amount Per Serving

Calories 404

% Daily Value*

Calories 404kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 40g 13%
Protein 8g 16%
Fat 24g 37%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 15g 75%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 581mg 24%
Potassium 75mg 2%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 0.5g 1%
Vitamin A 70IU 1%
Vitamin C 0.003mg 0%
Calcium 91mg 9%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.