What is Manakish or Manakeesh?
Manakeesh is a very popular item on the breakfast food menu in the Levantine region, Middle East. They are beautifully cooked crispy flatbreads prepared using homemade dough. These flatbreads are topped with a variety of toppings, some of which include za’atar, a blend of cheese, a mixture of onion and tomato, and kishk.
While today many varieties of Manakeesh are available at bakeries, ones with za’atar and cheese toppings continue to be the most popular. The cheese often used in manakeesh is a white salty cheese known as akawi though occasionally a milder cheese called Nabulsi is also used. Za’atar is a traditional spice blend consisting of a combination of Lebanese oregano, sumac, toasted sesame seeds, and a few other herbs.
How to make Manakeesh?
In order to make the manakeesh, first the flatbread is prepared and the za’atar blend is mixed with olive oil and spread onto the flatbread. It is then allowed to bake in the brick oven until it is crispy. The prepared manakeesh or a man'oushe (singular) is often the size of a personal pan pizza and is also often referred to as the ‘Lebanese Pizza’. It can be paired with some olives, labneh, freshly sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and some mint.
Now that we have introduced you to this mouth-watery delicacy, you most certainly have already thought about grabbing your go-to Middle Eastern breakfast. Why not listen to your heart and give it a try by ordering from us now?