Za’atar Manakish

Manakeesh or manakish are savory pastries  likened to flatbreads. A homemade dough shaped into a pizza shape and topped with Za’atar or cheese or a mix of both, it’s popular mostly for breakfast all over the Levant: Lebanon, Palestine, Syria & Jordan. Perfect with labneh.

This recipe is a cheats version using a yogurt dough ready in 40 minutes and is delicious. 

Arabic flatbread with za'atar, served with cucumber, labneh, and olive oil on a wooden board.

This recipe is a cheats version using a yogurt dough ready in 40 minutes and is delicious. 

Za’atar

Buy real and authentic za’atar from your Middle Eastern supermarket or online. Cheap supermarket za’atar will rui your Manakish 

Cheese

You can make this with a blend of Za’atar and Melty cheese such as Mozzarella, Kashkaval, akawi and even mix in some Feta.

Yogurt dough

The dough is so easy and comes together in minutes including the kneading. A must try for a quick version. 

Middle Eastern flatbreads topped with za'atar, served with sliced red peppers, cucumber, and a dish of labneh drizzled with olive oil on a wooden board.

Za’atar Manakish 

Prep time:

30 mins

Cooking time:

7 mins

Ingredients

  • 170g Greek Yogurt 

  • 1/2 x tsp salt 

  • 200g pizza flour 00 or plain flour 

  • 1 x tsp baking powder 

  • 4 x Tbs x Za’atar 

  • 3.5 x Tbs olive oil 

instructions

Mix the salt into the yogurt, top with the flour and baking powder and mix (you can use your hand or a spatula) once combined (the dough will be shaggy) give it a knead on floured surface for 1-2 min and put back in the bowl covered with a tea towel.

Heat your oven to 220C with baking sheets inside.

After 15 min cut your dough into 4 pieces (the dough will be much softer after this little rest) shape into a rough ball. Coat top and bottom with flour (the dough is sticky) then roll out nice and thin, spread some za’atar mix and add them to the hot baking sheet (be careful not to touch it) back in the oven for 7- 9 min till bubbly and golden. I put 2 on each baking tray. I left the second baking in the oven while the first breads were cooking so it would be nice and hot for the second round. 

Enjoy D 🫶