As the last flatbread in this series, I have the Za’atar Flatbread which is a simple flatbread topped with a very flavorful Middle Eastern Spice blend called the Za’atar. Za’atar is a spice blend made with sumac, thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, and salt and it comes as a spice mix that is available in a Middle Eastern store. I happened to buy the Zaatar pack a few months ago to give it a try but never used it until yesterday. When making my recipe list for the A to Z International Flatbread series, I knew that I was going to make a flatbread with Za’atar. If you are not looking to make the flatbread from scratch, you could use a store-bought pita and smear it with the Zaatar and olive oil mixture and pop it in the oven for a couple of minutes to make this flatbread. However, I would highly suggest making the flatbread from scratch as it is just so different and flavorful. The flavor of Za’atar is very acquired. Not everyone can readily accept the flavor and enjoy it. My boys absolutely disliked the flavor of the spice and this was the only flatbread in my whole series that they did not actually enjoy and I had to sort of push them to eat at least a slice. What did the trick for them to eat it was a few slices of fresh cucumber and tomatoes on top? This way, they at least ate a slice each. Talking about the whole series, this is my last recipe for this month’s A to Z International flatbread BM. As much as I enjoyed baking each and every flatbread, I am sort of ready for it to be done. It was too much flatbread for a month and this constantly gives me a reminder that I should not be waiting until the end to make the dishes and begin early.
My Other recipes in the A-Z International Flatbread Series –
A for Aish Baladi B for Boulanee Katchalu C for Chickpea Flatbread / Socca D for Dhal Puri E for Emirati Khameer F for Fruit Focaccia G for Gozleme H for Himbasha I for Indian Fry Bread J for Janta Roti K for Ka’ak L for Lepinja M for Mahjouba N for Norwegian Crisp Bread O for Onion and Poppy Seed Pletzel P for Pol Roti Q for Qutab R for Roomali Roti S for Samoon T for Taftan bread U for Uyghur flatbread V for Veechu Parotta W for Whole Wheat Phulka X for Xian Bing Y for Yufka Preparation time - 15 minutesBaking time - 10 to 12 minutes per batchDifficulty level - Easy
Ingredients to make the Zaatar Flatbread - Makes 4, 6-inch flatbread
All Purpose flour - 1 ½ cups Active dry yeast - 1 tsp Sugar - 1 tsp Salt - 1 tsp Warm Water - as needed to make the dough Olive oil - 3 TBSP Za’atar spice blend - 2 TBSP
Procedure to make the Zaatar Flatbread -
To make the dough -
In a bowl, add the warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast and mix well. Let the yeast mixture sit for about 10 minutes or until bubbly and frothy.
In a wide bowl, add the flour and the salt. Add the frothy yeast water and start kneading the dough.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and continue kneading until you have a soft dough.
Cover the dough and let it rest for at least an hour or until doubled in volume.
To shape and bake the Za’atar Flatbread -
Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down gently and divide it into 4 equal pieces.
Roll each piece into a tight ball and let it sit covered for about 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the Za’atar spice mixture and 2 tablespoon olive oil. Mix well to form a paste
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 425 F and place a pizza stone in the oven when it is preheating. If you don’t have a pizza stone, we can just bake it on a baking sheet.
Roll each ball into a ¼-inch thick circle, about 6 inches wide.
Using your fingers, spread ¼ of the Za’atar spice mixture on the surface of the rolled dough. Leave a little border around without the spice. Also, make small indentations in the dough when spreading the spice mixture.
Place the prepared dough on parchment paper to easily slide onto the pizza stone. I was able to place 2 at a time on a piece of parchment.
Bake the flatbread for about 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown at the edges.
Remove from the oven and let it cool a bit and then slice and serve. You could top it with fresh cheese or cucumbers and tomatoes.
More Flatbread Ideas
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