Thursday, October 25, 2012

217. Zaatar Manaeesh


Manaeesh are a popular Arab pastry, specific to the region of Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon.
The most popular topping is zaatar and olive oil. Others include cheese, minced meat, spinach, and so on.

I have been searching for the right pastry base for a while now, and I think I just might have found it on Wondering Spice, who kindly shared it as a recipe passed through the generations of her family.
These zaatar manaeesh may be enjoyed for breakfast or as a snack.



Ingredients:

For the dough:

4 cups flour
2 eggs, at room temp
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup warm water

For the zaatar:
1 cup zaatar powder
1/2 cup olive oil, or more



Method:

Make the yeast mixture by whisking the yeast, salt, sugar, 1/2 cup warm water and set aside for 15 mins.

Using the dough hook of a stand mixture (or by hand), combine the flour and eggs.
Slowly add half of the water, and mix until just combined.
Add the yeast mixture and rest of the water, then mix once more until incorporated.
Cover with a clean, damp cloth and place in a warm spot to rise for an hour. 


Preheat oven to 400F while making the dough balls.
Rub your hands lightly with olive oil.
Take a handful of dough and make a fist, squeezing a little ball of dough up between your thumb and index finger.
Place on an oiled or non-stick baking sheet, and repeat until all dough is used.
Dip your fingertips in a bit more olive oil, and pat each sphere flat (they may shrink the first time, just keep flattening them).

In a small bowl, make the zaatar: mix the zaatar and olive oil into a paste.
Spread a thin layer of zaatar on each pastry round.
Bake in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes until golden and puffed up.





 صحة و عافية



4 comments:

Anonymous said...

marhaba.checking out ur new posts....sorry but never egg in maneesh dough..its unheard of and not needed..nadia

Maryam said...

Salam Nadia, Eid mubarak!
Yes I was also skeptical when I read the recipe on Wondering Spice, but was pleasantly surprised by the result which was softer than traditional eggless dough, so I wanted to share it.

Anonymous said...

Marhaba Maryam..we make and eat lots of manaeesh in my home using our traditional dough recipe..but tonight I wanted something different dough wise.., this has been on my to try list for awhile,,reluctantly so because of the egg..but as you were suprised we too really enjoyed the more tender crust..will use again..thank you for sharing..Nadia

Maryam said...

Marhaba Nadia!
I'm so glad you took the risk and tried it! It is prone to criticism as it defies the traditional norm, but it's good to step outside of the box from time to time.