Manakeesh

Today am posting yet another bread recipe, it’s a flatbread to be precise.   A Middle-East bread recipe.  The word manaqish is the plural of the Arabic word manqūshah (from the root verb naqasha 'to sculpt, carve out'), meaning that after the dough has been rolled flat, it is pressed by the fingertips to create little dips for the topping to lie in. (Source Wikipedia).  The women would bake them in communal oven to provide their families with their daily bread needs.  They would do so with different toppings and serve them up for either breakfast or lunch.

 This Levantine Arabic bread has toppings mainly with meat, thyme and cheese, or even plain vegetarian topping.  Happened to see this bread on the TV while watching a food show.  Though the recipe I saw, had different toppings (traditionally what the Arabs would use).  But, since I wanted to try it immediately I used these toppings.  Or should I say filling.  That’s because I folded the bread as shown. 

 INGREDIENTS:

Active Dry Yeast	20 gms
All Purpose Flour	200 gms
Warm Water	50 ml
Sugar	1 tsp
Salt	½ tsp
Tomato	2 medium
Onion	2 medium
Capsicum	1 big
Corn kernels	½ cup
Cheese	2 cubes grated
Olive oil	2 tbsp
Salt	½ tsp
Pepper powder	½ tsp

METHOD:
1.          To develop the yeast, mix it with luke warm water and sugar.

2.          In a mixing bowl, take the flour and mix it well with salt.  Make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture.  Knead this into a soft and pliable dough.

3.          Add olive oil and knead again. (This would take approximately 10 minutes).  Cover and rest the dough for an hour or so, till it doubles up in size.

4.          After an hour, punch the dough and keep it covered again for half an hour.

5.          In the meantime, finely chop the onions, tomatoes, capsicum.  Grate the cheese.  Now mix the chopped onions, tomatoes, capsicum, add corn and grated cheese and mix well.  Add salt and pepper to it.

6.          Now roll the risen dough into a circle.  Fill one half of the circle and fold the empty side over it.  Press it down well so that the two ends stick to each other.  (You could use a little water to seal it).

7.          Brush it with olive oil and bake it in a preheated oven at 200° for 10-15 minutes.

THIS IS ANOTHER VARIATION (STUFFING) THAT CAN BE USED.

1.          Take about ½ a cup hung curd add a few olives (cut into pieces), parsley, 1/8 cup toasted sesame seeds, a tsp of thyme, a little sumac powder, salt and pepper.  Add a little cream cheese or grated cheese.  Combine this to get a smooth mixture and follow the same method to fill the rolled circle.

NOTES:

1.       I served this along with sweet corn soup and can I tell you it was a hit at home.
2.       A nice and light dinner was what we all enjoyed.