Manakish
Manakish is the defining breakfast food of the Levant, sold on every street corner from Beirut to Damascus, with dough rounds baked on the spot in vaulted-ceiling ovens called saj or tabun. The za'atar blend, made of dried thyme, toasted sesame, sumac and salt, varies from family to family and region to region, each za'atar recipe being almost as personal as a signature. While the za'atar version remains the most popular and simplest, manakish can also be filled with cheese, minced meat with tomatoes, or hot pepper paste, transforming from a morning snack into a full meal. The simplicity of the baking method — thin dough, ready in minutes at high heat — has made manakish the preferred choice for a quick breakfast before work in Lebanese cities.
Fluffy dough
Simple bread dough, rolled thin before baking.
Za'atar blend
Dried thyme, toasted sesame, sumac and olive oil.
Quick baked
Bakes fast at high heat, almost like a pizza.
Served with vegetables
Traditionally paired with tomatoes, cucumber and fresh mint.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 400g flour
- 1 packet dry yeast
- 250ml warm water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 80g za'atar
- 60ml extra olive oil for the za'atar
- Tomatoes, cucumber and mint for serving
How to make it
- 1PREPARE DOUGH: Mix the yeast with warm water and sugar, let it activate for 10 minutes.
- 2KNEAD: Combine the flour with salt, oil and activated yeast, knead 8-10 minutes until elastic.
- 3PROOF: Let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled in size.
- 4DIVIDE: Divide the dough into 6-8 equal balls and let them rest for 10 minutes.
- 5ROLL OUT: Roll out each ball into a thin disc, with slightly thicker edges.
- 6PREPARE ZA'ATAR: Mix the za'atar with the extra olive oil until you get a thick paste.
- 7BRUSH AND BAKE: Brush each disc with the za'atar paste, bake at 220°C for 8-10 minutes, until the edges turn golden, serve warm with fresh vegetables.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
