Manakish with Cheese and Za’atar Recipe
Manakish is a traditional Middle Eastern flatbread topped with flavorful cheese and za’atar herb mixture. This recipe features a soft, thin dough baked to golden perfection and topped either with a blend of fresh mozzarella, feta, and nigella seeds or a fragrant za’atar and olive oil mix. Perfect as a savory breakfast, snack, or light meal served alongside fresh vegetables.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 10 small flatbreads 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus 2 more tablespoons for dusting)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 cup warm water (not hot)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
Toppings
- 340 grams fresh mozzarella cheese (or Akawi cheese as substitute)
- 200 grams feta cheese (or Akawi cheese as substitute)
- 1.5 tablespoons nigella seeds (Kolonji)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 7 tablespoons za’atar spice blend
Instructions
- Activate yeast: Combine the instant yeast with 1 cup of warm water (make sure water is warm, not hot) and let it sit for 3 minutes to activate.
- Mix initial dough: In a bowl, mix 1 cup of flour with sugar and the yeast-water mixture. Stir well, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients: After resting, add the remaining 1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons of flour, 1/4 cup olive oil, and salt. Mix well until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough: Knead the dough by hand for 3-4 minutes until smooth, then cover and set aside to rise for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven: While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare za’atar topping: In a bowl, mix the za’atar spice blend with the 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil and set aside.
- Prepare cheese topping: Combine the mozzarella and feta cheese in a bowl and set aside.
- Shape the dough: Divide the risen dough into 10 equal portions. On a floured surface and with a floured rolling pin, roll each ball into a thin, medium-sized flatbread, leaving it very thin as the dough will rise during baking.
- Arrange on baking sheets: Place the rolled dough rounds on floured baking sheets. You may need multiple sheets or bake in batches.
- Apply toppings: Spread the za’atar mixture evenly over 5 of the dough rounds leaving a 1/4 inch border. Spread the cheese mixture on the other 5 rounds and sprinkle nigella seeds on top, also leaving a 1/4 inch border.
- Bake the manakish: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven on the bottom rack and bake for 12-15 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden. Bake more than one sheet at a time by placing one on the bottom rack and another on the middle rack; rotate them after the bottom rack batch finishes to ensure even cooking.
- Broil cheese manakish: For the cheese topped manakish, optionally broil the tops for a few minutes to lightly brown the cheese. Watch carefully because this happens quickly.
- Keep soft: Remove the baked manakish from the oven and place them on a platter. Cover with a towel or plastic bag to keep them soft until serving.
- Serve: Serve warm with fresh vegetables such as tomato slices, cucumber, mint, and olives.
Notes
- Make sure the water used for yeast activation is warm but not hot to properly activate the yeast.
- Rolling the dough very thin is important as it rises slightly during baking.
- You can substitute mozzarella and feta cheeses with Akawi cheese if preferred for authenticity.
- If baking multiple sheets, rotate baking sheets between racks to ensure even baking.
- Covering the baked manakish after cooking helps keep the bread soft and moist.
- Nigella seeds add a distinct flavor but can be omitted if unavailable.
- Za’atar can be purchased at Middle Eastern grocery stores or made at home using a mix of dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, toasted sesame seeds, and sumac.
Keywords: Manakish, Za'atar flatbread, Middle Eastern bread, Cheese bread, Middle Eastern breakfast
