Middle Eastern & North African · Breakfast · Lunch · Snack
Manakish
مناقيش (Manakish bi Za'atar)
Soft, golden Lebanese flatbreads made partly with whole wheat flour and spread with a fragrant homemade za'atar of thyme, sumac and toasted sesame in olive oil. They are served warm with fresh tomato, cucumber and mint for a classic Levantine breakfast.
- Prep
- 85 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 105 min
- Serves
- 6
Calories come from: Carbs 57% · Fat 33% · Protein 10%
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Ingredients
For 6 servings- 1 cup120 gwhole wheat flour
- 1 1/2 cups, plus a little for dusting190 gall-purpose flour
- 1 tspinstant dry yeast
- 1 tspsugar
- 1 tsp plus a pinch7 gsalt
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp210 gwarm water
- 1 tbsp13 gextra virgin olive oil (for the dough)
- 3 tbsp9 gdried thyme
- 2 tbsp18 gsesame seeds
- 1 tbsp7 gground sumac
- 3 tbsp40 gextra virgin olive oil (for the topping)
- 2 medium240 gtomatoes
- 1 medium200 gcucumber
- 1 small handful10 gfresh mint leaves (optional)
Steps
- 1
In a large bowl, mix the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar and 1 tsp of the salt.
- 2
Add the warm water and the 1 tbsp dough olive oil, then stir into a shaggy dough.
- 3
Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8 minutes until smooth and slightly springy.
- 4
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour, until doubled.
- 5
Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden, then let cool.
- 6
Mix the thyme, toasted sesame seeds, sumac and the pinch of salt to make the za'atar.
- 7
Stir the 3 tbsp topping olive oil into the za'atar to form a loose paste.
- 8
Place a large baking tray in the oven and preheat to 250 °C / 480 °F.
- 9
Divide the dough into 6 balls and roll each into a round about 15 cm (6 in) across.
- 10
Press dimples over each round with your fingertips, leaving a narrow border.
- 11
Spread the za'atar paste evenly over the rounds.
- 12
Transfer 3 flatbreads onto the hot tray and bake for 7-8 minutes until the edges are golden.
- 13
Bake the remaining 3 flatbreads the same way.
- 14
Slice the tomatoes and cucumber while the bread bakes.
- 15
Serve the manakish warm with the tomato, cucumber and mint leaves, if using, to fold inside.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use all all-purpose flour instead of the whole wheat flour for a softer, lighter-coloured bread.
- Buy a ready-made za'atar blend instead of mixing thyme, sumac and sesame, checking the label since some blends are saltier.
- Swap the sugar for a teaspoon of honey if you have no sugar on hand, though the recipe will then no longer be vegan.
- Add sliced radishes or a few olives alongside the tomato and cucumber for more fresh variety.
Storage
Manakish are best eaten fresh and warm; cool any leftover breads and refrigerate within 2 hours in an airtight bag for up to 3 to 4 days, or freeze the plain baked breads for up to 2 months. Reheat in a hot oven or dry pan until steaming hot, and keep the cut vegetables separately in the fridge for no more than a day.
Make ahead
Mix the za'atar paste up to a week ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. You can also let the kneaded dough rise slowly in the fridge overnight, then bring it to room temperature before shaping and baking.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: GlutenSesame
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (177 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 299 kcal | 169 kcal |
| Protein | 7.3 g | 4.1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 43.9 g | 24.8 g |
| of which sugars | 2.5 g | 1.4 g |
| Fiber | 4.7 g | 2.7 g |
| Fat | 11.4 g | 6.4 g |
| of which saturated | 1.6 g | 0.9 g |
| Sodium | 459 mg | 259 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
