Manakish, or in singular form man’ousheh, or other spellings, sometimes called Arabic: فَطَايِر, romanized: faṭāyir, is a popular Levantine food consisting of dough topped with thyme, cheese, or ground meat. Similar to a pizza, it can be sliced or folded, and it can be served either for breakfast or lunch.
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for shaping
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for coating bowl
Zaatar Spread
- 1/3 cup zaatar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Make the Dough
- In a large bowl, activate the yeast in warm water; allow 10 minutes for it to proof.
- Add the salt, sugar and olive oil to bowl and use a wooden spoon to mix until combined. Wait a few minutes, then add the flour into the wet ingredients and mix with a spoon until the dough becomes shaggy and you’re no longer able to mix.
- Transfer to a floured surface and knead the dough by hand to form a tight ball.
- Place the dough back into the same oil-coated bowl. Cover with a plastic wrap or towel and set aside at room temperature to rise for 45-60 minutes.
Make the Zaatar Spread
- Mix the zaatar with olive oil in small bowl until it forms a consistent and spreadable mixture.
Assemble and Bake
- Preheat the oven to 450° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Divide the dough into 6-8 equal parts, depending on how large you’d like them. Use your fingers to spread each piece into a round flat disc, about 1 ½ inch thickness.
- Place 1-2 tablespoons of zaatar spread on each dough and use the back of the spoon to spread evenly. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the dough becomes light golden in color and puffs slightly.
- Enjoy warm with cheese and vegetables, if desired.
Pizza is picnic perfect!