Manakish Za'atar (Herb Flatbread)
Lebanon's favorite breakfast: soft, chewy flatbreads spread with a paste of za'atar herbs, sesame and olive oil, baked until the edges turn golden. Fold one around tomato, cucumber, olives and fresh mint.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Make the dough
In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix, then knead on the counter for about 10 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
Let it rise
Put the dough back in the bowl and cover it with a towel. Leave it somewhere warm for about 1 hour, until it is twice as big.
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 250°C, or as hot as it goes. Put a baking tray inside to get hot. In a small bowl, mix the za'atar with the 100 ml of olive oil into a loose paste.
Shape the breads
Cut the dough into 8 pieces and roll each into a ball. Roll or press each ball into a circle about 15 cm wide. Press your fingertips all over the top to make little dents. This stops it puffing up too much.
Add the topping
Spread about 2 tablespoons of the za'atar paste on each circle. Leave a thin border around the edge.
Bake
Carefully slide 2–3 breads onto the hot tray. Bake for 6–8 minutes, until the edges are golden. Repeat with the rest.
Serve
Serve warm. Top or fold each bread around tomato, cucumber, olives and mint.
Make the dough
In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add the warm water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix, then knead on the counter for about 10 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
Let it rise
Put the dough back in the bowl and cover it with a towel. Leave it somewhere warm for about 1 hour, until it is twice as big.
Heat the oven
Heat the oven to 250°C, or as hot as it goes. Put a baking tray inside to get hot. In a small bowl, mix the za'atar with the 100 ml of olive oil into a loose paste.
Shape the breads
Cut the dough into 8 pieces and roll each into a ball. Roll or press each ball into a circle about 15 cm wide. Press your fingertips all over the top to make little dents. This stops it puffing up too much.
Add the topping
Spread about 2 tablespoons of the za'atar paste on each circle. Leave a thin border around the edge.
Bake
Carefully slide 2–3 breads onto the hot tray. Bake for 6–8 minutes, until the edges are golden. Repeat with the rest.
Serve
Serve warm. Top or fold each bread around tomato, cucumber, olives and mint.
The Story Behind the Dish
Manakish began in village homes, where women baked bread for the whole week early in the morning. Small rounds of the leftover dough were topped with whatever was in the pantry, most often za'atar mixed with olive oil, and eaten hot for breakfast.
Today every neighborhood in Lebanon has a furn (bakery) with a big oven where people bring their own topping or buy manakish fresh on the way to work or school.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It is cheap, quick and filling, and the herby, tangy za'atar is loved by everyone from children to grandparents.
💡 Fun Fact
Many Lebanese parents give children za'atar before exams, because it is said to help you think clearly.
Beirut and Mount Lebanon
33.89°N, 35.50°E
Related recipes
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!