From The EI Kitchen

Manaaqeesh: a savory treat!
Za'atar, a blend of wild thyme, summer savory, sumac and toasted sesame seeds, gives a uniquely delicious taste to these pizza-like treats. Manaaqeesh (plural, manqousheh is the singular) are often bought from street vendors in the morning. They make a fine breakfast when accompanied by fresh yogurt, sliced tomatoes, and peeled cucumbers. Za'atar is said to have special strengthening properties for the body and the mind. (Added 7 October 2005)


Ingredients

BREAD DOUGH

2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
Dash of dried ginger
1 package active dry yeast
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
5 cups of unbleached flour

Place water, sugar, and ginger, into a large bowl. Add the yeast slowly but surely, stirring slightly. Allow to rest for five minutes while the yeast becomes foamy.

Then add the egg, salt and oil. Stir and begin folding in the flour gradually. If the dough is still quite wet after all five cups of flour have been folded in, add a bit more flour. Knead the dough until all flour has left the sides of the bowl and the dough is smooth.

Coat the top of the dough ball with a bit of oil and flip over in the bowl twice. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a tea towel and set in a warm (but not too warm) place for 40 minutes.


ZA`ATAR MIXTURE

3/4 cup za`atar
1 and 1/4 cup olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F. After punching down and rolling out the dough on a floured surface, divide dough into 6 rounds. Roll out each round with a rolling pin on a floured surface or wooden board until each round is 1/4 inch thick. Cover the rounds with tea towels and let rest for 15-20 minutes.

Place the rounds on a greased cookie sheet. Mix the za`atar and oil together in a dish and then spread this mixture over the six rounds of dough using your fingers, pressing the mixture into the dough.

Bake the manaaqeesh rounds in the oven for 8-10 minutes.

Remove from oven, place on cake racks to cool, or serve piping hot.




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