1226. Overnight Bread Manaeesh (Cheese and Zaatar)

Overnight bread strikes again, in the form of Arabic breakfast and snack manaeesh. To say manaeesh are Arab pizzas is somewhat derogatory since they existed way before the Italian pizza and might even have been the origins of pizza.
Cheese and zaatar are the highly-favored classics, but the options are almost limitless in regards to toppings, so go crazy and customize your manoucha. If you plan to use chicken or meat, make sure it is already cooked since raw doesn't go great here, given the short cooking time in the oven.


Ingredients:

3 cups  flour
1 3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Instant or Rapid-rise yeast
1 1/2 cups water

Toppings:
zaatar and olive oil
cheese and nigella seeds


Method:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, salt and yeast.
Add water and mix until a shaggy mixture forms.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 – 18 hours. Overnight works great.
Next day, preheat oven to the maximum (450-500F), and divide dough into 12 balls, using a well-floured surface. Stretch and roll each ball into an oval shape, and transfer to two baking dishes.
Divide the toppings over the breads and bake one trat at a time for 10 minutes until puffed, cooked through, and starting to color at the bottom (may need 2 minutes more).

To make the fillings:
Zaatar: mix 1/2 cup zaatar with 1/2 cup olive oil.
Cheese: use 2 cups of shredded mozarella and stir through a tablespoon of nigella seeds. However, akawi cheese is more traditional. Crumble the cheese roughly in a food processor, and rinse out with water four to five times to rid of extra salt. Drain dry then stir through the nigella seeds.

صحة و عافية