Warm and fluffy manakish is one of my favorite breakfasts! My favorite local Middle Eastern grocery store here in town makes them fresh and it’s rare that I don’t grab a pack every time I make the drive out there. I’ll warm it up in the air fryer or in a skillet until it heats through, and it’s perfect for a quick breakfast with a coffee. So easy and so portable! Manakish comes with all sorts of toppings. You can get them as za’atar manakish so it’s topped with a za’atar seasoning and olive oil paste. You can also get cheese manakish. Typically akawi cheese is placed on top and the bread it baked until it’s golden and the cheese melts. My personal favorite is manakish topped with both za’atar and cheese. I know manakeesh is typically eaten for breakfast or brunch, but it also makes a great addition to a mezze platter or an appetizer for a party!
How do you pronounce manakish?
Manakish is actually pronounced manaeesh (man–na–eesh) or basically, with the ‘k’ being silent.
Ingredients to make Manakish:
Flour: I like to use a 50:50 blend of all-purpose flour and bread flour for this recipe. Bread flour contains a higher amount of protein. The higher amount of protein allows for slightly more gluten to develop than if we were to use only the all-purpose. The higher gluten production will produce a slightly chewier texture in the bread dough.Yeast: using instant yeast helps the manakish dough rise more rapidly, and you don’t have to go through the process of activating the yeast, so it cuts down on prep time.Sugar: we’ll add a tablespoon of sugar to the bread dough. This will act as food for the yeast and keep it happy, happy!Milk Powder: gives the manakish a bakery-like tenderness and produces a a golden brown crust. The milk powder also allows the bread to stay softer longer, so leftovers keep well!Kosher Salt: adds flavor to the dough.Yogurt: adds a slight tang and tons of softness to the dough.Oil: improves the texture and moisture of the bread. Along with the milk power it also allows the bread to maintain its freshness for longer.Water: warm water helps the yeast wake up quickly thus cutting down on the amount of time it takes for the dough to rise.Toppings: I like to use both a za’atar mixed with olive oil and lots of shredded akawi cheese. Za’atar spice is a Middle Eastern seasoning blend that contains dried thyme, toasted sesame seeds, cumin, sumac, and a few other ingredients. You can also use a combination of shredded mozzarella and fetacheese which will produce a taste similar to akawi cheese.
Instructions for manakish:
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