Manakish with Za'atar

La storia di questo piatto

In the Levant, manakish is the bread of the early morning, a flat round baked fresh and carried home still warm. Za'atar and good olive oil are all it asks, and it has been the taste of the household waking up for as long as anyone can remember.

Ingredienti

• 400 g Type 00 or Manitoba flour
• 240 ml Lukewarm water
• 6 g Fresh baker's yeast
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (to activate the yeast)
• 6 g Fine salt
• 4 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
• 40 g Za'atar (blend of thyme, sesame and sumac)
• 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil for topping

Preparazione

1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the lukewarm water and let rest a few minutes, until the surface becomes veiled with a light foam: this is the sign the yeast is alive and ready to work. Pour the flour into a large bowl, form a well, place the salt along the edges rather than in the center (if it touches the yeast it stuns it), and slowly pour the activated water into the middle.
2. Knead vigorously, first in the bowl and then on a floured surface, until you obtain a smooth, elastic ball that does not tear when gently stretched: this shows the gluten has formed well. Midway through, add the oil little by little, letting it absorb calmly: it will give softness to the crumb.
3. Place the dough in a bowl greased with oil, cover with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm corner of the kitchen, away from drafts: it should double in size, and if you press a finger into the dough the mark remains without springing back. Toward the end of the rising, mix the za'atar with the oil in a small bowl until you obtain a thick, greenish-brown paste that smells of thyme and sumac.
4. Deflate the dough with your hands, divide it into four equal balls of about 160 grams each, and let them rest covered: they relax and become more pliable under your hands, without snapping back like an elastic. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to its maximum, 250°C, with a baking tray or a pizza stone inside that must heat thoroughly: it is the secret to a crust that puffs and browns quickly.
5. Stretch each ball with your fingers or a rolling pin into a disc about 20 centimeters across and half a centimeter thick: it should not become thin like a flatbread, as it needs a soft center beneath. Prick the surface with a fork so it does not bubble up, then generously brush the za'atar paste over it, reaching all the way to the edges.
6. Transfer the disc onto the scorching tray, using parchment paper if the stone is too hot to handle, and bake in the oven already at 250°C: watch the edges, and when they turn golden blond and the kitchen fills with the scent of toasted thyme, it is ready. Remove it and let it cool only a minute: it is eaten warm, while the oil is still glossy and fragrant. Bake one disc at a time, or two if your tray is large enough.
7. Before bringing it to the table, taste a corner: if the oil seems a bit heavy, a squeeze of lemon over the top brightens everything and cleanses the palate. Cut it into wedges like a pizza and serve it with plain yogurt, olives and fresh tomatoes, so each bite finds its contrast of freshness.