Manakish Za'atar

How to Cook Manakish Za'atar

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1. Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar, add the water and olive oil, and knead 10 minutes to a soft, smooth dough.

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2. Prove, covered, for 90 minutes until doubled.

   Mark done Start 90 min timer

3. Heat the oven to its maximum, at least 250°C / 480°F, with a baking stone or heavy inverted tray inside for at least 20 minutes.

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4. Stir the za'atar, olive oil and sumac together into a loose, spreadable paste. It should be wetter than you expect.

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5. Divide the dough into 6 and roll each into a 20 cm round about 5 mm thick.

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6. Set them on lightly floured baking paper and press dimples across the surface with your fingertips, leaving a 1 cm border.

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7. Spread a generous sixth of the za'atar paste over each, right up to the border.

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8. Slide onto the hot stone, two at a time, and bake 6 to 8 minutes until the base is set and the edges are golden and puffed.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

9. Eat immediately, folded in half, with tomato, cucumber, olives and labneh (optional).

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Related guides: Prep, cook and total time · Ingredient substitutions.

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What Can Go Wrong

1. Buy good za'atar. The cheap kind is mostly filler and tastes dusty.
2. Use more oil than feels right. Dry za'atar burns and turns bitter in a hot oven.
3. Dimpling the dough stops it ballooning and holds the topping in place.

Good to Know About Manakish Za'atar

The za'atar is loosened into a loose paste with a generous quantity of olive oil, which both stops it scorching in the oven and carries its flavour into the bread. A very hot oven and a preheated surface set the base before the topping has time to dry out.

What to Serve It With

Sweet mint tea or Arabic coffee · Labneh, olives and fresh vegetables · A boiled egg, for a full breakfast

Leftovers

Best within an hour. Keeps 2 days wrapped and reheats at 220°C / 430°F for 4 minutes. The dough freezes 2 months.

Quick Answers

What's in a Serving

Per serving, an approximate calculation from the ingredient list. Treat it as a rough guide: an ingredient listed without an amount is not counted, so the figures run low. How the figures are worked out.

Vegan when served without the labneh or feta. Dairy-free when served without the labneh or feta.

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