Manakish
Manakish
Manakish is topped with zaatar which is a mixture of thyme, oregano, sesame seeds and sumac. Taste is amplified when you mix zaatar with cheese.
Ready in: 60 minutes
Serves: 8
Complexity: very-easy
kcal: 306
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Ingredients
DOUGH:--
5 cups flour (you can use white, whole wheat or mixed)
1½ cups warm water
½ cup yoghurt
1 tbsp yeast
2 tbsp sugar
SIDS SALT & PEPPER to taste
½ cup rice bran oil
TOPPINGS:--
Za’atar mixture
EV olive oil
Cheese mixture:
White cheese
Tiny bit of butter
Sesame seeds
Black seeds
Directions
Put 2 cups of flour, add the warm water, (warm, but not hot) yogurt, yeast and sugar in a blender and blitz them until well mixed. Leave the mixture in the blender for 10 minutes. (you will see the minute has doubled in size and reached the top of the blender)
Meanwhile, get the toppings ready. For the toppings, mix the za’atar with the olive oil. (I use equal amount but it should be according to what you prefer) As for the cheese, melt a bit of butter (less than a tbsp) then add the cheese, sesame seeds and black seeds. Again, the amounts are up to you.
When you see that the dough has increased in size, and the 10 minutes have passed, pour the mixture into a big bowl then add the 3 cups of flour, salt and oil. Mix by a spoon first then by hand, you don’t need to knead it as much as in other dough recipes, just until it doesn’t stick to your hands. (if it’s still too sticky you can add a dash of flour just to gather it around) The dough should be soft - not too hard not too watery.
Cut the dough into 8 balls (those will be our manakish) then start working.
On a clean surface, sprinkle some flour and pad one of the balls with your hands (you can use a dough roller) to make a circle then pad with your fingertips creating little dips for the topping to set on.
Baking:
The traditional way of baking manakish is by heating the oven to 230°C then put the topped manakish in a big pan and bake about 8 minutes. But that’s a little bit tricky since bread likes hot ovens and its easier when they go in and out so it doesn’t harden.
The other option is to have a frying pan on the stove on medium high (the pan can be nonstick or stainless both work) at the same time have your oven on low broil with a baking tray placed closer to the top.
Once the dough is made into a circle, place it on the pan then spread the toppings. By the time that's done, the bottom of the bread will be golden brown and ready to transfer to the oven, check on it every few minutes and the top should be golden brown too when it’s ready to serve.
I usually have the dough rolled and ready so by the time I put one bread in the oven, I’ll have another one in the pan. This way is very fast and easy and gives you great results.
Serve right away or cool on a rack.