Zataar garlic pesto mana’esh

Mana’esh played a big part in my childhood memories, with the Lebanese bakery in my neighbourhood holding a special place in my heart. The vivid memories of stepping into the bakery for the first time are etched in my mind.

The wood shelves filled with a plethora of Middle Eastern pastries, the sight of bakers working in harmony in front of wood-fired ovens baking zataar mana’esh, and the aroma of freshly baked bread never failed to bring me joy.

I have a recipe for mana’esh from my mother’s classic cookbook, inspired by Nigella’s garlic parsley bread. I have created two spreads for the mana’esh – zataar garlic parsley pesto and the classic zataar mana’esh bread.

The process of making and savoring mana’esh evokes a sense of nostalgia and warmth within me. The flavors, the textures, and the memories associated with this beloved pastry make it a timeless favorite that will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Serves : 8

Ingredients:

for the zataar pesto:

1/2 cup (80ml) olive oil & extra for drizzling

3 heads of garlic

1 large batch of flat leaf parsley

6 tablespoonful of zattar
salt to taste

for original zataar mama’esh .

170ml olive oil (3/4 cup)

9 tablespoon of zataar spice.

salt to taste

for the dough

2 teaspoons instant yeast 

250 ml lukewarm water ( 1 cup ) 

1 teaspoon of sugar 

550g all purpose flour ( 4 1/3 cups + 1 tablespoon)

180g yogurt ( 3/4 cups )

56 ml cup olive oil ( 1/4 cup ) 

Method :

For zataar garlic pesto

Preheat the oven to 180c, slice off the top of the garlic and brush the top with a little bit of olive oil.

cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes.

let it cool down and squeeze the flesh of garlic out of the cloves.

in food processor place garlic cloves, parsley, zataar and blitz until combine add olive oil through the tube while food processor is running.

until it’s smooth & homogenize. Set a side

for original zataar mana’esh spread:

mix all the ingredients together until combine if the mixture is too runny add 1 tablespoon of zataar at a time.

for the dough :

In a medium bowl whisk together yeast, water & sugarSet at side for 5 minutes until you see bubble on the surface.

In a stand mixer bowl with hook attachment on medium speed add flour and yogurt, olive oil and knead the ingredients together for 8-10 until the dough is elastic and a bit sticky.

Transfer the dough into large greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel for 30 - 60 minutes until double in size.

Preheat the oven to 200c 

lightly brush a two baking tray with olive oil, set a side.

When the dough is doubled in size punch the dough & transfer it on lightly floured surface.

Divide the dough into 8 equal balls.

Lightly flour a rolling pin and roll out each dough into 7- 8 inches.

Brush the dough with two tablespoons of pesto or desirable amount of olive oil & zataar.

Bake the mana’esh in two batches for 8- 10 minutes until the edges are golden.

Serve with labneh or Arabic salad or be creative and serve it with whatever you feel like.