A popular Levantine food is the Manakeesh which is made out of dough topped with thyme, cheese or ground meat. The dish can be eaten during breakfast or lunch, and there are various kinds of toppings that can be used to make the dish. The most popular kind of topping is the za’atar that features a combination of spices, mixed with olive oil.
Other toppings mainly feature cheese, minced lamb, chilli, kish and spinach. Back in the day, women would bake the dough in the morning to ensure that their family needs are provided with daily bread. However, the toppings would be different depending on the day. The dish is popular across the Levant region, and it can also be found at neighbouring regions.
Ingredients:
- Wholemeal Khobez Flatbread
- 200g Feta (Pack)
(Turkish Salad)
- Tomatoes (Chopped into Rough Cubes)
- ½ of Cucumber (Chopped into Cubes)
- ½ Mint (Pack; Leaves Picked and Torn)
- 15 Pieces of Pitted Black Olives
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Balsamic Vinegar
(Garlic Yogurt)
- 1 Clove of Garlic (Crushed)
- 150 mL of Turkish Yogurt
(Dressing)
- Thyme (Leaves Picked)
- ½ Oregano (Pack)
- Garlic Cloves (Crushed)
- 150 mL of Olive Oil
- ¼ tsp of Sumac
- ½ Lemon
- Sesame Seeds (Toasted)
Preparation Methods:
- Start preparing the dish by first making the salad. In a large bowl, add the cucumber, tomato, mint and olives and drizzle a bit of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil all over the vegetables. Mix the ingredients well and ensure that it is combined.
- Proceed to mix the crushed garlic and yoghurt and stir it well until it is thoroughly combined. Season it and then set it aside.
- Make the dressing by placing the oregano, olive oil, thyme and garlic in a jug and mixing it with a stick blender. Proceed to add some lemon juice, sesame seeds, sumac and seasoning and mix it well.
- Take one flatbread and then spread 2 tbsp of the dressing. Proceed to top each of the flatbread with some feta. Repeat the process with the rest of the flatbreads.
- Carry on with folding the flatbreads in half and then fry on both sides lightly. Ensure that the heat level is medium and the appearance is lightly toasted and golden.
- To ensure that the flatbreads remain consistently warm, place it in the oven on low heat.
- The dish is ready! The dish is best served hot with Turkish salad, topped with garlic yoghurt.
