Make-Ahead Manakeesh
Make delicious make-ahead maeesh, a Middle Eastern bread topped with cheese or zatar. Perfect for any occasion!
Equipment
- large bowl or food container for mixing the dough,
- a lid to cover it (ensure it's not airtight to prevent cracking),
- a rolling pin for shaping the dough,
- and either a baking sheet or a baking stone
Ingredients
For the dough
- 625 g about 2 and 3/4 cups lukewarm water
- 1 tablespoon granulated yeast
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 920 g about 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For the Cheese Manakeesh
- 200 g of halloumi cheese
- 100 g of mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 Teaspoon of whipping cream 35% per manakeesh optional
For the zaatar Manakeesh
- zaatar spice
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Mix the Dough: In a generously sized bowl or food container, combine the lukewarm water, granulated yeast, kosher salt, sugar, olive oil, and all-purpose flour. Stir everything together until it's well blended. Cover the bowl or container (remember, not airtight!) and let the dough rest at room temperature until it rises and then flattens on top (usually takes about two hours, but give it extra time if your space is on the chilly side).
- Chill the Dough: Once the dough has done its rising act, you have two choices: use it right away or pop it in the fridge for later. Chilling the dough makes it easier to handle, and bonus—it'll keep in the fridge for up to 10 days.
- Preheat the Oven: When you're ready to bake, crank up your oven to a toasty 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Shape and Top the Dough: Dust the surface of your chilled dough with a bit of flour, then grab a piece and shape it into a ball. Flatten it out with your hands and a rolling pin, dusting with more flour as needed to keep things from getting sticky. If the dough starts giving you trouble, let it "relax" for a few seconds before trying again. Now, here comes the fun part: topping your manakeesh! For the cheesy version sprinkle a mix of grated halloumi, mozzarella, and whipping cream (optional) over the dough. Or, if you're feeling a bit more adventurous, whip up a zesty zatar mixture (equal parts zatar and olive oil) and brush it over the dough.
- Bake and Enjoy: Transfer your topped dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or if you're feeling fancy, use a pizza peel to slide it onto a baking stone in the oven. Keep a close eye on your masterpiece as it bakes—once it's poofed up and no longer sticky, you can turn on your broil function. As soon as it's golden and gorgeous, take it out of the oven and let it cool a bit before digging in.