Thin-Crust Skillet Manakish
Description
Made with just a few simple ingredients and cooked on the stovetop, the thin crust skillet manakish is delicious, soft in the middle with crispy edges, just a bit chewy, pliable and perfect for folding. If you’ve never made stovetop manakish before, I hope you’ll try it. It’s an easy and delicious way to fix up a Lebanese inspired breakfast.
Equipment
- 1 large non-stick skillet
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 500 grams all-purpose flour plus extra for rolling the dough
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon instant dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup warm water or as needed to make a malleable dough
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
For the Za’atar Topping
- ½ cup za’atar
- ⅓ cup olive oil or a mixture of olive oil and sunflower oil
For the Kishik Topping
- ½ cup kishik see note below
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon tomato paste
- ⅓ cup olive oil or more as needed to form a paste
- A dash of chili flakes optional
- 3 tablespoons pine nuts optional
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- To make the dough: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, instant dry yeast, and salt. Mix with a fork or spatula until well combined. Add the water and knead until the dough begins to come together. Add the oil and knead again until you have a soft, smooth, and pliable dough.Adding the oil at the end of mixing makes the dough exceptionally silky and soft. Cover with cling film and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour. Resting the dough allows it to relax, making it easier to roll out.
- Divide the dough into 16 equal-sized mounds and shape each one into a small ball.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball separately into an 8-inch/20 cm round. I prefer mine thin. Stack the rolled dough, placing a piece of parchment paper between each round.
- Preheat a dry non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook each piece of dough for 1 minute, until bubbles form and golden spots appear on the underside. Flip the dough and spread roughly 1 tablespoon of the zaatar-and-oil mixture, or your favorite topping mixture, over the surface, leaving a ¼-inch border. Cook for another minute on the other side.If the manakish is taking too long to cook, increase the heat. If the pan is browning the manakish too quickly, reduce the heat.
- Serve right away with a cup of brewed tea, labneh, and olives.
Video
Notes
Note 1 – Kishik: Kishik is a powdery cereal made from bulgur and yogurt. The mixture is first fermented, then dried, and eventually ground into a powder. You can find kishik at Middle Eastern grocery stores.
Note 2 – Storage: Store skillet manakish in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Note 3 – To reheat leftovers: Place a stack of skillet manakish in a preheated oven at 300°F / 150°C, wrapped in aluminum foil, and heat for 10 minutes.
Health Benefits of Za'atar & Olive Oil
When we were young, our elders encouraged us to eat za’atar and olive oil wraps before heading to school, especially on exam days. They told us that za’atar would make us smarter! Years later, we thought this was simply a myth invented during the war in Lebanon to encourage young people to eat za’atar, especially when food and supplies were scarce and za’atar was readily available in nearly every household. Today, scientific research has found that za’atar herbs contain antioxidants and various compounds that may support overall health. Za’atar also provides minerals, vitamins, and essential oils, and some of its ingredients have been studied for potential effects on memory, mood, and immune function. Maybe our elders were onto something after all! Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!