Dishes · A classic of Levantine

Manakish

Also Man'oushe, Manaeesh

Flatbread spread with za'atar and olive oil and baked hot and fast — breakfast in Lebanon, folded and eaten on the move.

What makes it manakish

  • A soft, thin yeast dough, dimpled by hand.
  • Za'atar mixed to a paste with olive oil.
  • Baked very hot and eaten warm — often rolled round tomato, mint, cucumber or labneh.

Where it comes from

The name is usually explained by the Arabic for engraved: the baker presses fingertips into the dough before it's topped. Families once took their dough to the neighbourhood oven in the morning; now bakeries make them to order, and a za'atar manoushe with tea is how much of Lebanon starts the day.

How it varies

Jibneh
Topped with melting white cheese, often akkawi.
Lahm bi ajeen
Spread with spiced minced lamb and tomato.
Kishk
With kishk — fermented bulgur and yoghurt — onion and tomato.

Be the first here

Start your own manakish
No one here has made manakish yet. Start it as v1, and every version after is an experiment the next cook can learn from.

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