The dish to eat in Beirut · Lebanon

Man'oushe with za'atar

Name: Man'oushe with za'atar
Yield: 6 flatbreads
Cuisine: Lebanon
Ingredients: 3 1/4 cups (420 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling; 1 1/2 tsp instant yeast; 1 tsp sugar; 1 1/2 tsp fine salt; 1 cup plus 2 tbsp (270 ml) warm water (about 100F / 38C); 3 tbsp olive oil, for the dough; For the topping: 6 tbsp (40 g) za'atar blend (thyme, sumac, toasted sesame, salt); 1/2 cup (120 ml) good extra-virgin olive oil; To serve: sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, mint leaves, olives and labneh

Photo: Elie.ghob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons · source

Breakfast flatbread from the oven, brushed with thyme, sumac, sesame and olive oil.

Beirut's breakfast, now on UNESCO's heritage list: a warm man'oushe from the neighborhood furn, folded and eaten on the walk to work.

Where to eat it Cook it at home

Where to eat it: the best three in Beirut

Furn Ghattas
Between Gemmayzeh and Mar Mikhael
Order: Za'atar man'oushe, then one with akkawi cheese
A tiny wood-oven bakery where the neighborhood lines up in the morning.
Open in Maps
Barbar
Hamra
Order: Za'atar or cheese man'oushe, any hour
Beirut's round-the-clock institution for man'oushe and shawarma.
Open in Maps
Zaatar w Zeit
Several branches, including Hamra and Sassine
Order: Za'atar with labneh and fresh vegetables
The Lebanese chain that made man'oushe a sit-down meal; reliable and always open.
Open in Maps

All three are on Chef Amazing’s list The best man'oushe with za'atar in Beirut, which you can save and take with you.

Cook it at home: Man'oushe with za'atar

Serves 6 flatbreadsTime 45 min, plus 1 1/2 hr rising

The topping is a loose paste of za'atar and lots of olive oil. Bake hot and fast so the bread stays soft and the herbs don't burn.

Pans and tools

Large bowl
Rolling pin
Baking steel, pizza stone or heavy baking sheet
Pizza peel or a rimless baking sheet

You’ll need

3 1/4 cups (420 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp fine salt
1 cup plus 2 tbsp (270 ml) warm water (about 100F / 38C)
3 tbsp olive oil, for the dough
For the topping: 6 tbsp (40 g) za'atar blend (thyme, sumac, toasted sesame, salt)
1/2 cup (120 ml) good extra-virgin olive oil
To serve: sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, mint leaves, olives and labneh

Steps

Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the warm water and olive oil and mix to a shaggy dough.
Knead on a lightly floured counter for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and springy; it should be soft and only slightly tacky.
Put it in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.
Divide into 6 pieces (about 4 oz / 115 g each), roll into balls, cover with a towel and rest 20 minutes so the dough relaxes.
Put a baking steel or upturned heavy baking sheet on the lowest oven rack and heat the oven to its highest setting, at least 500F (260C), for 30 minutes.
Stir the za'atar and olive oil together into a loose, spreadable paste.
On a floured counter, roll a ball into a 7 to 8-inch (18 to 20 cm) round about 1/4 inch thick. Press your fingertips all over the surface to make dimples that will hold the oil.
Spread 2 tbsp of the za'atar paste over the round, leaving a thin bare rim.
Slide the bread onto the hot steel with a floured peel or the back of a baking sheet. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, until the rim is puffed and golden in spots and the bottom is browned.
Repeat with the rest. Eat warm, folded around tomato, cucumber, mint and olives, or with a spoonful of labneh.

Chef’s tips

Buy za'atar from a Lebanese grocer: it should be green, tangy with sumac and full of sesame.

For a cheese man'oushe, top with 1/2 cup grated akkawi or mozzarella instead of za'atar.

Wrap the baked breads in a towel to keep them soft while you bake the rest.

Contains: Wheat, sesame.

Save to my recipes