This is it. The herby za’atar flatbread that convinced Reem Assil to quit her job as a community organizer all those years ago and open an Arab street corner bakery in Oakland. That location of Reem’s California now functions as a commissary kitchen for the chef-restaurateur’s wholesale accounts. But you’ll find all of Assil’s sweet and savory Arab breads, including mana’eesh (singular, mana’oushe) at the Reem’s in San Francisco.
This recipe is featured in Assil’s highly-anticipated new cookbook, “Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora” (Ten Speed Press, $35), which will publish on April 19.
Mana’eesh, or Herby Za’atar Flatbreads
Makes eight 10-inch flatbreads
INGREDIENTS
1 recipe Basic Yeasted Dough (see below)
All-purpose flour for dusting the dough
Semolina flour for dusting the pan
¾ cup za’atar
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Divide the prepared risen dough into eight pieces. Shape the pieces into rounds, cover with a dry dish towel (or brush the dough with a bit of oil and cover gently with plastic wrap) and let rest for 30 minutes. If you are not baking right away, you can also shape the dough and set it aside in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.
When you are ready to bake, heat the oven to 500 degrees. Arrange the oven racks on the upper and lower thirds of the oven; if you are using a baking stone, remove the lower rack from the oven, place the pizza stone on the oven floor and preheat the oven for at least 45 minutes.
Place the dough rounds on a lightly floured work surface, sprinkle them with flour and pat each round into a 4-inch disk. Working your way around the rim of each disk, use your thumb and index finger to pinch the edges and stretch out the dough. (If the dough is resistant, allow the round to rest, covered with plastic wrap or a dish towel, for another 5 to 10 minutes.) Once you have pinched around the whole circle, sprinkle with a light dusting of flour. Continue the process for the remaining disks.
Using a rolling pin, roll out each round — up and then down once, shift a quarter turn and repeat the process, dusting with flour as needed — until you have a 10-inch disk. Continue the process for the remaining disks. If space is limited, stagger your disks on top of each other and dust with an ample amount of flour. Let the disks rest for another 5 minutes.
Make the za’atar-oil mixture: In a small bowl, combine the za’atar and oil, gradually whisking or stirring until it is the texture of a viscous pesto.
Sprinkle a thin layer of semolina flour over an inverted sheet tray and place one disk on it. Spoon about 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of the za’atar-oil topping onto the dough and use the back of the spoon to spread it nearly to the edges, leaving about a 1/8-inch rim.
Place the sheet tray on the upper rack and bake for 2 minutes, until bubbles start to form and the bread starts to develop a crust. Remove the sheet tray from the oven and, with tongs (or your hands if you dare!), transfer the par-baked flatbread directly onto the bottom rack or onto the stone and bake until the edges and the crust are brown about 3 minutes more. Repeat the process with the remaining rounds. Enjoy it sliced like a pizza or rolled up.
Note: If you’re feeling brave and have a dough peel, you can also cook the flatbread directly on the baking stone for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the edges and bottom of the dough are spotted and golden.
BASIC YEASTED DOUGH
INGREDIENTS
5½ cups bread flour
2½ cups warm water (about 100 degrees), divided
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoo active dry yeast
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the bowl
Semolina flour for dusting
DIRECTIONS
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl, add the bread flour and then stir in 2¼ cups of the water. With the paddle attachment on low speed or using a sturdy spoon, mix until it resembles a thick batter. Set aside for 20 minutes.
While the flour and water mixture rests, stir together the remaining ¼ cup water, sugar and yeast in a small bowl. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. At this point, the yeast mix should give off a sweet fragrance and show a bubbly bloom.
To mix by hand: Use your hand to incorporate the yeast mixture, all-purpose flour, salt and oil into the dough. Squeeze the dough between your thumb and fingers with one hand while holding the bowl with the other hand, until it forms a rough and shaggy ball. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth, springs back when dimpled and stretches like a windowpane. This usually takes up to 10 minutes of kneading.
To mix in a stand mixer: Add the yeast mixture, all-purpose flour, salt and oil to the bowl and use the dough hook to mix the dough on low speed until everything comes together, scraping the bowl if needed. Turn up the speed to medium and mix until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, 8 to 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth, springs back when dimpled and stretches like a windowpane.
Form the dough into a ball. Coat a large bowl with oil and transfer the dough to the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp dish towel and let it rise in a warm draft-free place for 1½ hours or until doubled in size. If you are not planning to use the dough right away, refrigerate for up to 12 hours until doubled in size.
— From Reem Assil’s “Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora” (Ten Speed Press, $35)
