Za’atar Manakish
Manakeesh or manakish are savory pastries likened to flatbreads. A homemade dough shaped into a pizza shape and topped with Za’atar or cheese or a mix of both, it’s popular mostly for breakfast all over the Levant: Lebanon, Palestine, Syria & Jordan. Perfect with labneh.
This recipe is a cheats version using a yogurt dough ready in 40 minutes and is delicious.
Za’atar Manakish
Prep time
30 min
Cooking time
7 min
Ingredients
- 170 g Greek yogurt
- ½ tsp salt
- 200 g “00” pizza flour or plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 4 tbsp za’atar
- 3.5 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Mix salt into the yogurt, then add flour and baking powder. Stir until shaggy, then knead 1–2 min on a floured surface. Return to the bowl, cover, and rest.
Preheat oven to 220 °C with baking sheets inside.
After 15 min rest, divide dough into 4 pieces and shape into rough balls. Coat each in flour and roll out very thin. Brush or sprinkle with za’atar and olive oil.
Carefully transfer to hot baking sheets and bake 7–9 min until bubbly and golden. Bake in two batches if needed, keeping the second batch hot in the oven.
Enjoy D 🫶
This recipe is a cheats version using a yogurt dough ready in 40 minutes and is delicious.
Za’atar
Buy real and authentic za’atar from your Middle Eastern supermarket or online. Cheap supermarket za’atar will rui your Manakish.
Cheese
You can make this with a blend of Za’atar and Melty cheese such as Mozzarella, Kashkaval, akawi and even mix in some Feta.
Yogurt dough
The dough is so easy and comes together in minutes including the kneading. A must try for a quick version.
Za’atar Manakish
Cooking time:
7 mins
Prep time:
30 mins
Ingredients
170g Greek Yogurt
1/2 x tsp salt
200g pizza flour 00 or plain flour
1 x tsp baking powder
4 x Tbs x Za’atar
3.5 x Tbs olive oil
instructions
Mix the salt into the yogurt, top with the flour and baking powder and mix (you can use your hand or a spatula) once combined (the dough will be shaggy) give it a knead on floured surface for 1-2 min and put back in the bowl covered with a tea towel.
Heat your oven to 220C with baking sheets inside.
After 15 min cut your dough into 4 pieces (the dough will be much softer after this little rest) shape into a rough ball. Coat top and bottom with flour (the dough is sticky) then roll out nice and thin, spread some za’atar mix and add them to the hot baking sheet (be careful not to touch it) back in the oven for 7- 9 min till bubbly and golden. I put 2 on each baking tray. I left the second baking in the oven while the first breads were cooking so it would be nice and hot for the second round.
Enjoy D 🫶