Lebanese Manakish

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Baking stone or steel (or inverted sheet pan)
• •Rolling pin
• •Bench scraper
• •Pizza peel or large spatula
• •Kitchen scale for precision

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dough

   Combine the flour, yeast, salt, and sugar in a large bowl, whisking to distribute the yeast evenly. Make a well in the center and add the warm water and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy mass forms, then switch to your hands. Squeeze and fold the dough in the bowl until no dry flour remains. The dough will feel sticky and rough. This is correct.

   Water temperature matters. Too hot kills the yeast; too cold slows it down. Aim for bathwater warmth, around 105-110°F.
2. 2

   Knead until smooth

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes, pushing with the heel of your hand, folding, rotating a quarter turn, and repeating. Add flour sparingly if it sticks aggressively, but some tackiness is normal. The dough is ready when it feels smooth, springs back when poked, and passes the windowpane test: a small piece stretches thin enough to see light through without tearing.

   Resist the urge to add too much flour. Wetter dough yields softer bread. A bench scraper helps manage stickiness better than extra flour.
3. 3

   First rise

   Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour. The dough is ready when you press two fingers into it and the indentations remain rather than springing back immediately.

4. 4

   Prepare the za'atar topping

   While the dough rises, stir together the za'atar and the ½ cup olive oil in a small bowl. The mixture should be loose and spreadable, like a thick pesto. Add more oil if needed to achieve a consistency that will spread easily without being soupy. Taste it. The sumac should register as tangy, the sesame as nutty, the thyme as herbaceous. Good za'atar announces itself.

5. 5

   Preheat your oven

   Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and place a baking stone or inverted baking sheet on it. Heat to 475°F (245°C) for at least 30 minutes. The stone needs time to absorb heat. A properly heated surface is what gives manakish their characteristic blistered bottom and quick bake.

6. 6

   Divide and shape

   Punch down the risen dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 6 equal pieces (about 105g each if you have a scale). Shape each piece into a ball by tucking the edges underneath and rotating against the counter with a cupped hand. Cover loosely with a towel and let rest 10 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.

7. 7

   Roll the flatbreads

   Working with one ball at a time, roll into a round about 7 to 8 inches in diameter and roughly ¼-inch thick. The edges can be slightly thicker. Transfer to a piece of parchment paper. Using your fingertips, press dimples across the entire surface, creating small wells that will hold the za'atar mixture and prevent the dough from puffing too dramatically.

8. 8

   Apply the topping

   Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the za'atar mixture onto each round. Spread it evenly with the back of the spoon or your fingers, leaving a thin border at the edge if you prefer, or taking it all the way for maximum flavor. The oil should pool slightly in those dimples you created. Don't be stingy. The topping is the point.

9. 9

   Bake until blistered

   Slide a topped flatbread (still on its parchment) onto the hot baking stone. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the bottom shows dark spots when you lift it with a spatula. The za'atar will darken slightly and smell intensely fragrant. Remove with a pizza peel or large spatula. Repeat with remaining rounds, or bake two at a time if your stone accommodates them.

10. 10

    Serve warm

    Transfer to a cutting board and let cool just long enough to handle, about 2 minutes. Manakish is best eaten warm, torn into pieces or folded around fresh vegetables, olives, or labneh. The bread stays soft for several hours but loses its magic by the next day. Make only what you'll eat, or share generously.

Chef Tips

• •Source your za'atar from a Middle Eastern grocery or a reputable spice merchant. The pre-mixed blends at conventional supermarkets often lack sumac or use stale thyme. Fresh za'atar smells bright and almost lemony from the sumac.
• •If you don't have a baking stone, an inverted sheet pan preheated in the oven works nearly as well. The key is thermal mass: something that holds heat and transfers it quickly to the dough.
• •For cheese manakish (manakish jibneh), substitute the za'atar topping with crumbled akkawi cheese or a mixture of shredded mozzarella and feta. Same technique, different tradition.
• •Store leftover flatbreads wrapped in foil at room temperature. Reheat briefly in a hot oven or directly over a gas flame, turning with tongs, to restore flexibility.

Advance Preparation

• •Dough can be made the night before: after mixing, refrigerate immediately and let cold-rise for 8 to 12 hours. The slow fermentation develops more complex flavor. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping.
• •Za'atar topping can be mixed up to 1 week ahead and stored in a sealed jar at room temperature. The olive oil preserves the herbs.
• •Shaped, topped flatbreads can be frozen on parchment-lined sheets, then stacked with parchment between layers. Bake directly from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes to the bake time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 142g)