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Man'oushe za'atar

Man'oushe bi za'atar: Lebanese flatbread with za'atar and olive oil

Ask anyone from Beirut what breakfast is and the answer is often man'oushe bi za'atar: a round of soft dough pressed with fingertips, spread with a paste of za'atar and olive oil and baked in the corner bakery's hot oven, then folded in paper and eaten on the way to school or work. At home it is rolled around sliced tomato, cucumber, olives and fresh mint. The most common mistake is too little oil in the topping, which leaves the za'atar dry and dusty, or baking it too long so the herbs scorch and turn bitter; the paste should be loose and spreadable and the bread pulled out once the rim is just golden. Chef's tip: get the oven and tray properly hot, at its highest setting for 20 minutes, so the dough puffs and blisters before the topping has time to burn.
Total time
90 min
Difficulty
medium
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

For the dough

For the topping

To serve

Method

0/9 done
  1. Step 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 ¼ cups warm water and knead for 10 minutes until smooth, soft and slightly tacky.

    10 min
  2. Step 2: Cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled.

    60 min
  3. Step 3: Put a large heavy baking tray (or pizza stone) on the middle shelf and heat the oven to its highest setting, 240–475°F, for at least 20 minutes.

    20 min
  4. Step 4: Stir 2 ⅛ oz za'atar with ½ cup extra virgin olive oil to a loose, spreadable paste, like runny peanut butter. Add a little more oil if it looks stiff.

  5. Step 5: Divide the dough into 6 balls and rest them, covered, for 10 minutes so they roll easily.

    10 min
  6. Step 6: Roll each ball on a floured surface into a round about 20 cm across and 4 mm thick. Press dimples all over it with your fingertips, leaving a 1 cm rim, so the topping has somewhere to sit.

  7. Step 7: Spread about 2 tablespoons of the za'atar paste over each round, right to the rim.

  8. Step 8: Slide two rounds at a time onto a sheet of baking paper and onto the hot tray. Bake for 5–7 minutes, until the rim is pale golden, the base is spotted brown and the topping is bubbling and smells toasty. Take them out before the edges darken.

    7 min
  9. Step 9: Serve warm, flat or folded, with 2 tomato, 1 cucumber, 1 handful fresh mint and 2 ⅞ oz olives to roll inside.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
480 kcal
Protein
10 g
Carbs
64 g
Fat
21 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does man'oushe za'atar take?
About 90 minutes in total: 75 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegan?
Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
What can I use instead of plain flour?
Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
Fresh yeast, three times the weight.

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