manakish

This Middle Eastern bread dough (Arabic bread dough) is a quick, easy, and versatile all-purpose dough - Perfect for pizza, calzone, fatayer, manakish, lahmebajen, etc. All you need is just 4 ingredients for the base to tons of Middle-Eastern bread and pastry recipes!

Easy Arabic Bread Dough (Manakish Dough)

water

Tbsp sugar

plain all-purpose flour

salt

yogurt

Add the water, sugar, and yeast to a small bowl, mix well and then allow it to stand for between 5-10 minutes for the yeast to activate. It should froth up and become quite bubbly during this time.Meanwhile, combine the sifted flour and salt in a large bowl.

Step 1: Activate the yeast

Add the yeast mixture and yogurt to the bowl, mix into a rough dough, and then knead for around 10 minutes until you have a smooth, elastic dough. When poked with a finger, the dough should bounce back again - if it doesn&#039;t, knead it a little longer.The dough should be smooth and not sticky. If it’s a little sticky, then add an extra tablespoon of flour at a time. Likewise, if it’s too dry (crumbly), then add a tablespoon of water and then knead until you have a smooth texture.

Knead the dough by hand, or use a stand mixer (which usually takes a couple of minutes less). You could also use a food processor with a dough blade, but this usually takes quite a lot less time due to the faster speed. Check after two minutes, then every 20-30 seconds after.

Step 2: Mix and knead the dough

Form the dough into a rough ball and cover lightly with oil, then place back in the bowl.Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel or cling film and place it in a warm place to prove for between 45 minutes to an hour. During this time, it should double in size.

If it&#039;s particularly cold on that day/where you are, then it may be best to turn the oven on its lowest temperature for 5-10 minutes, switch it off then allow the dough to rest in the switched-off oven.

Step 3: Proof the dough

At this point, you&#039;re ready to use it for whatever recipe you&#039;d please, which will affect your next step (i.e., how big, what shape, etc., the dough you use will be).

Step 4: Use the Middle Eastern bread dough

I was making manakish, so I used an inverted oven tray (a pizza stone will also work) in the oven at its&#039; highest temperature (for me, that&#039;s 500ºF/260ºC).

For manakish (manakeesh), I divided the dough into 5 balls (you can weigh it for exact pieces, but I did it by eye) to achieve bigger flatbreads (you can also make 8 medium-sized ones). Roll the dough out to around 1/4-inch thickness and shape into either circles or oblong shapes.

Press your fingers into the dough all over the surface. This will create more space for toppings and will prevent the dough from puffing up too much in the oven.Then top with your toppings of choice - like this za&#039;atar manakish or cheese manakish.

Carefully transfer the Arabic bread dough to the inverted tray/pizza stone and bake for between 5-6 minutes until it&#039;s lightly browned on the edges and underneath.

Remove it from the oven and cool slightly before wrapping/covering it with a kitchen towel to keep the bread soft.

To use as Manakish (Manakeesh)

Mahe ahead: If you don&#039;t plan on using all the Middle Eastern bread dough at once time, you can store the prepared dough, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.Store: The freshly baked bread can also be store in an airtight container or the fridge for up to five days. Enjoy at room temperature or warmed.Freezer: The baked bread (like manakish) is freezer-friendly for up to three months. Depending on how you use the dough and what fillings/toppings you use with it, this time may vary.Reheat: You can reheat the baked Middle Eastern flatbread from frozen in the oven at 250ºF/120ºC until warmed through (20-25 minutes usually). If heating from chilled or room temperature, then reduce the time in the oven.

To Make Ahead &amp; Store

A Middle Eastern flatbread made with a soft dough and topped with either a mix of cheese and nigella seeds or a Za&#039;atar and olive oil blend. A delicious way to start your day - always with a cup of tea.

Manakish (Cheese and Za'atar)

flour (plus 2 more tablespoons)

sugar

instant yeast

olive oil

fresh mozzarella (or replace with Akawi cheese)

feta cheese (or replace with Akawi cheese)

nigella seeds ((also known as Kolonji))

olive oil (extra virgin)

Za'atar ((found at middle eastern stores))

Start by mixing the yeast in the 1 cup of warm water. Make sure it&#039;s not hot water or the yeast will not activate. Set aside for 3 minutes.

In a bowl, add 1 cup of the flour along with the sugar and the yeast and water mixture. Mix well with a spoon, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add the rest of the flour (1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons), 1/4 cup olive oil and the salt and mix well until a shaggy dough forms.

Using your hands, knead the dough for 3-4 minutes, then smooth it out and set aside to rise for about 30 minutes, covered.

Preheat your oven to 375F while the dough rises

To make the dough:

Mix together the Za&#039;atar and the olive oil in a bowl and set aside.

Mix together the mozzarella cheese and feta cheese and set aside.

Once the dough is ready, separate into 10 equal-sized balls. Using a floured rolling pin and a floured surface, flatten each dough ball to a very thin medium sized flatbread. The dough will rise slightly in the oven so it&#039;s important to make them thin

Transfer the dough rounds to a floured baking sheet. You may need to use 2-3 baking sheets to fit them all, or wait for some to bake then add the rest

Spread the Za&#039;atar mixture on 5 of the manakish and make sure to cover the entire surface, leaving a 1/4 inch border

Spread the cheese mixture on the remaining 5 of manakish, leaving a 1/4 inch border. Sprinkle with the nigella seeds

Place the baking sheets in the oven on the bottom rack and bake for 12-15 minutes until the bottom is lightly golden. You can bake more than one sheet at one time, by placing one on the bottom rack and one on the middle rack. Once the bottom rack manakish are cooked, then switch the middle rack sheet pan to the bottom for a few more minutes until cooked through

For the cheese manakish, you can broil the top for just a few minutes to lightly brown the cheese. Keep an eye when you&#039;re doing this as it happens quickly

Remove baked manakish and place in a platter and cover with a towl or plastic bag to keep them soft until serving

Serve them with fresh vegetables like tomato, cucumber, mint, and olives

For the toppings:

This is hands down the best manakeesh recipe online. Honestly, my husband is in awe how much my middle eastern food game has elevated after switching to your blog. 😅
The dough is soft, pillow-like. I didn’t have nabulsi at the moment so I used a combination of saputo mozzarella + fresh mozzarella + salt. I also did a lahm version with this dough and doubled to batch bake and freeze as after school snacks. Super authentic thanks to you!
Alhamdulilah thank you so much!!

Is it fine to freeze as I will only use Mozzarella cheese. I have lots of it.

Hi Amina, How come every time I write to get help it says it is duplicate. I always ask new questions.  I have already the dumplings planning to make the yogurt mixture on Sunday. Having guests.
The other question I want to make Manakish for Sunday too. If I make it from today which is Friday the cheese will not taste the same as fresh or even freeze it. Is there another way I can make it like make the base and add Zatar and Cheese on Sunday. I love making your dishes. Thanks

Made this for my Palestinian in-laws when they were in town. Didn’t even get a chance to cool before they were all devoured. Turned out delicious. I probably only used 400g of Ackawi cheese and it was still way too much for 5 manakish, in my experience. Cheese melted off the sides. That said, too much cheese is not a bad problem to have. Going to make it again very soon! Maybe with some jibne and egg on the recommendation of my father in law. Thanks for the recipe!!

loved this ... easy and so versatile. thank you

Amina I made pizza using the dough for this manakeesh recipe and it turned out so good! This is going to be my go-to pizza dough recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing such a nice recipe and giving detailed steps about everything.

I made them plain to pair with my soup. They turned out great! Thank you!

Recipe video above. Invented in pursuit of more interesting ways to use chicken mince, this is a SOS take on traditional manakish Lebanese pizzas made with flatbreads topped with a thin layer of meat - called lahmacun in Turkish. Astoundingly fast to make, and extremely versatile, think of this recipe as a blueprint rather than a rule book. Use any ground meat, add shredded vegetables - and topping options are endless! Don&#39;t skip the feta and olive oil for toppings. It really makes it. :)

8 minute Lebanese Pizzas (Lahmacun!)

x ~30cm/12" Lebanese bread (, (sub other thin flatbreads, Note 1))

/ 4 oz chicken mince ((ground chicken) (Note 2))

tomato paste

Baharat

tsp paprika (, sweet (or smoked))

tbsp finely chopped parsley (or coriander/cilantro, totally

Extra virgin olive oil

tbsp Danish feta

Lemon juice (, just a light drizzle)

chilli flakes / red pepper flakes

~1 tbsp toasted pine nuts (, roughly chopped (sub pistachios, almonds, sesame seeds))

tsp finely chopped parsley (or coriander/cilantro)

Trim bread to fit pan, mix filling, smear on bread. Heat oil on high, pan fry 90 seconds meat side down, then bread side 90 seconds until crispy. Top, cut, eat!

ABBREVIATED RECIPE:

Use a large 30cm/12&quot; non-stick pan. If needed, use scissors to cut one side of the Lebanese bread so it fits in your pan (Note 4)

Mix the Chicken Spread ingredients in a bowl. Spread all across the surface of one side of the bread like peanut butter - use it all! It will be a fairly thin layer.

Cook meat side - Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan over high heat. Place the bread in meat side down and cook for 90 seconds, pressing down lightly to encourage colour. The meat will stick to the bread!

Crisp bread - Turn with tongs (there should be some golden patches) and cook the bread side for 90 seconds until golden and crispy (lower heat if browning too quickly).

Toppings - Slide onto cutting board, sprinkle with feta, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with other toppings you choose. Cut into 8 like pizza, enjoy!

FULL RECIPE:

A big 'yes' to the sheer practicality of this!  So easy and so tasty and you do not have to go shopping!  Have used Baharat for some seven decades of my life - yes, making one's own is the bestest :) !  Oh, nice one of the 'two of you' - another unforgettable Dozer one for my files !!!

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Top 3 manakish recipes from across the web

The most viewed manakish recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Easy Arabic Bread Dough (Manakish D...

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The most viewed manakish recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine