Lebanese Manakish Za'atar Flatbreads: Make-Ahead Breakfast for School Mornings

Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Pour in the warm water and 3 tablespoons olive oil, then stir until a shaggy dough forms.

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1/2 cup za'atar blend
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (for the za'atar paste)
• 1 cup labneh or thick Greek yogurt, for serving
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• Fresh mint leaves, for serving

Instructions

1. Whisk the flour, yeast, sugar and salt together in a large bowl. Pour in the warm water and 3 tablespoons olive oil, then stir until a shaggy dough forms.
2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 8 minutes, until smooth and springy. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour, or until doubled.
3. Stir the za'atar and 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil together in a small bowl to make a loose, spoonable paste. Let it sit while the dough rises so the herbs soften.
4. Heat the oven to 450F and place two baking sheets inside to preheat. Divide the risen dough into 6 equal pieces and roll each into a 7-inch round about 1/4 inch thick.
5. Transfer the rounds to the hot sheets, then spread each with a heaping tablespoon of the za'atar paste, leaving a thin bare rim. Dimple the surface lightly with your fingertips.
6. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are golden and the za'atar looks glossy and set. The centers should stay soft enough to fold.
7. Cool completely on a rack, then stack with parchment between and seal in a zip bag. They keep 4 days refrigerated or 2 months frozen.
8. On a school morning, warm one flatbread 30 seconds in the microwave or 3 minutes in a toaster oven. Smear with labneh, top with cucumber, tomato and mint, and roll it into a wrap.
9. In Beirut and across Lebanon, manakish is the original grab-and-go breakfast, sold hot from neighborhood furn ovens before dawn and eaten folded in half on the walk to work or school. The za'atar blend itself is deeply personal, with families arguing over sumac ratios and whether sesame should be toasted dark or pale, and children are traditionally told the herb sharpens the mind before exams. Baking a batch on Sunday gives you that same warm, tangy, oregano-scented start to the day on the mornings when nobody has time to cook.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 342 kcal
• Protein: 9g
• Fat: 17g
• Carbohydrates: 39g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 420mg