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Manakish

Manakish
Manakish made with za'atar with vegetables on the side
Alternative namesManaqish, manaeesh, manakeesh (singular)
manooshe, man'ousheh, mankousheh (plural)
TypeFlatbread
CourseBreakfast or lunch
Place of originLevant
Region or stateLebanon
Associated cuisineLevantine (Lebanese)
Main ingredientsDough, za'atar, cheese or ground meat
Za'atar bread

Manakish (Levantine Arabic: مناقيش, romanized: manaʾīsh), singular man'ousheh (منقوشة, manʾūshe), is a popular Levantine pastry,[1] consisting of dough topped with za'atar (manaʾīš bɪzaʿtar) cheese (manaʾīš bɪžɪbne), or ground meat. It can be sliced or folded, and it can be served either for breakfast or lunch.

Traditionally, women would bake dough in a communal oven in the morning to meet their family's daily bread needs, and would prepare smaller portions of dough with different toppings for breakfast at this time.[2]

Manakish are popular across the Levant,[3][4] and can also be found in neighboring regions, and centers of Levantine emigration.

In 2023, manakish was inscribed to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists as an emblematic culinary practice in Lebanon.[5]

Etymology

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The word manāqīsh is the plural of the Arabic word manqūshah, from the root verb naqasha (نقش), 'to sculpt, 'to carve out' or 'to engrave'; 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.[6]

History

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Manakish is said to have originated in Phoenicia, where people would crush the wheat into flour with stone wheels to make bread.[7][8][better source needed]

An Arabic-language cookbook from the 10th century mentions recipes for flatbreads topped with za'atar and olive oil.[1]

Classic toppings

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  • Za'atar (nonw: زَعْتَر, romanized: zaʿtar, lit. 'thyme'). The most popular form of manakish uses za'atar (ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram or some combination thereof, mixed with toasted sesame seeds, salt, and other spices such as sumac) as a topping.[9] The za'atar is mixed with olive oil and spread onto the dough before being baked in the oven. Za'atar manakish is a breakfast favorite in Levantine cuisine.[10][11] It is also served as part of a mezze, or as a snack with a glass of mint tea and feta cheese on the side.[10]
  • Cheese (جُبْنَة, jibne). There are two main types of cheese used on manakish: akkawi (Arabic: عَكَّاوي, romanized: ʿakkawī) and kashkaval (Arabic: قَشْقَوَان, romanized: ʾašʾawān). Za'atar is occasionally added to cheese manakish to enhance its flavor.
  • Lahmacun (لحم بعجين, laḥm bi-‘ažīn, 'meat with dough'), also called sfiha (صفيحة, ṣfīḥe). Manakish topped with minced lamb are served for lunch due to their heavier contents. The minced lamb is mixed with tiny pieces of diced tomato and oil, and the manakish is optionally served with ground pepper or pickles and yogurt.
  • Chili (فليفلة or فلفل حر)
  • Kashk (كشك). This is a mixture of fermented drained or dried yogurt and finely ground wheat that can be used by itself or in combination with other toppings, such as walnuts or onions, spread onto the bread.[12]
  • Spinach (سبانخ, sbāniḫ), chard (سلق).
  • Eggs; sometimes the bread has a ridge to prevent spilling, sometimes combined with cheese,[13][14] this is sometimes called Ikras beid or Kras beid (اقراص بيض, iʾrāṣ bēḍ, 'egg discs').[15][16]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Specter, Michael (2 May 2016). "The Eternal Magic of Beirut". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 9 May 2019 – via NYTimes.com.
  2. ^ Riolo, Amy (2007). Arabian Delights: Recipes & Princely Entertaining Ideas from the Arabian Peninsula (Illustrated ed.). Capital Books. p. 107. ISBN 9781933102559.
  3. ^ "Tayba: Bite-size savory delicacies". Arab News. 25 March 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  4. ^ Irving, John (2006). Terra Madre: 1,600 Food Communities. Slow Food Editore. ISBN 9788884991188 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "UNESCO - Al-Man'ouché, an emblematic culinary practice in Lebanon". ich.unesco.org. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  6. ^ Massaad, Barbara Abdeni (19 November 2019). Man'oushé : inside the Lebanese street corner bakery (First American ed.). Northampton, Massachusetts. ISBN 978-1-62371-932-6. OCLC 1148154883.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ Tusing, David. "Manakish nominated to be added to Unesco's Intangible Cultural Heritage list". The National. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Origins Of Bread with Saf-instant – Manakish Bread – Saf-Instant Gulf". Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  9. ^ Bender, David (2009). A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199234875.
  10. ^ a b Wright, Clifford A. (2003). Little foods of the Mediterranean: 500 fabulous recipes for antipasti, tapas, hors d'oeuvre, meze, and more (Illustrated ed.). Harvard Common Press. p. 310. ISBN 9781558322271.
  11. ^ Carter, Terry; Dunston, Lara; Humphreys, Andrew (2004). Syria & Lebanon (2nd, illustrated ed.). Lonely Planet. p. 68. ISBN 9781864503333. manaeesh.
  12. ^ Moraba, Kareh (2016). "The Story of Kashk". Gastronomica. 16 (4): 97–100. doi:10.1525/gfc.2016.16.4.97. JSTOR 26362399.
  13. ^ Jonze, Tim (8 August 2018). "Manousheh: the Lebanese breakfast pizza that stole my heart". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  14. ^ "The Lebanese Bakery and Kitchen: Magic, Marhaba & Manakish – Food & Home Magazine". www.foodandhome.co.za. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  15. ^ "مذاق حياة فلسطين.. طاه مقدسي يعرف السياح على بلاده من خلال الطعام". Al-Araby. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
  16. ^ "Jerusalem chef gives tourists a Palestinian taste of life in the Old City". Reuters. 22 December 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2025.