Manakeesh

Manakeesh is considered as the pizza of the Arab world. Perfect for breakfast or lunch, it is a round bread sprinkled with either cheese, ground meat or herbs. Varieties come from both fancy Levantine restaurants or street vendors.

The most popular form of manakeesh uses za'atar as a topping. The zaatar is mixed with olive oil and spread onto the bread before baking it in the oven. It is also served by cooks as part of a mezze, or as a snack with a glass of mint tea and feta cheese on the side. Popular also in the Arabian Peninsula, it was likely introduced there by Palestinians making the pilgrimage to Mecca.

There are two main types of cheese manakeesh: ‘Akkāwī (عكاوي), and Kashkaval (قشقوان). People usually mix cheese with zaatar, chicken, or meat when baking manakeesh to give it a better taste. Minced lamb manakeesh is served for lunch because of its heavier content. The minced lamb is mixed with tiny pieces of diced tomato and vegetable oil, and this manakeesh is optionally served with ground pepper or pickles and yogurt.