This Cheese Manakish (Middle Eastern Flatbread) recipe is the perfect breakfast food. Cheese manakish (manakeesh) is a Middle Eastern flatbread popular in Levantine countries like Syria and Lebanon. It consists of freshly baked dough topped with cheese that can vary by preference, with the most popular being Akawi cheese. It’s best served fresh from the oven when the cheese is melty and gooey.
Growing up, Saturdays for me involved breakfasts at my Teta’s house in Jordan, where she put together a delicious Arab spread that consisted of some of my favourite foods: labneh, hummus, grilled cheese, vegetables, fruits and, most importantly, freshly baked cheese manakish. Now that I live in Canada, I had to learn how to make them on my own because weekends, for me, aren’t complete without the smell of homemade manakish.
My favourite way to eat the flatbread is with a side of green olives, sliced cucumbers and za’atar. You can always add those sides into the flatbread and turn it into a wrap. Don’t forget to serve with some steeped red tea with mint for the perfect Arabic breakfast.
Related: Hot Honey Halloumi Flatbread
ingredients
directions
Start by preparing the dough, as it needs 2 to 3 hours to set and rise. Add active yeast and sugar to lukewarm water, whisk and set aside for 15 minutes, till the yeast activates and bubbles.
When done, add flour, salt, olive oil and yeast mixture and mix well. Start by using a spatula to fold the dough, then for best results use hands and knead the dough on a countertop. Note: add flour to the countertop to prevent it from sticking.
Turn the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, and cover. Set aside in a warm place for 2 to 3 hours until it rises.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Half an hour before assembling the flatbreads, shred the Akawi cheese and soak it in water. This will help reduce the cheese’s saltiness.
Drain water from the cheese and mix it with shredded mozzarella cheese.
When the dough is ready, start assembling the flatbread. Cut the dough into 6 pieces and then flour a countertop. Roll the dough out using a rolling pin to make a round shape. Note: Manakish isn’t pizza, so try to keep the dough thin.
Place the manakish on a baking tray. Brush olive oil atop the flattened dough and then add a large amount of the cheese mixture. Leave some room on the edges for the crust.
Place cheese manakish in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the crust turns light brown.
Serve with a side of olives, za’atar and cucumbers and enjoy!
