Manaqish, or Manakish or in singular form man’ousheh, is a popular dish in Lebanese cuisine.
The word manaqish is the plural of the Arabic word manqūshah (from the root of the verb
naqasha ‘to carve, to engrave’), meaning that after the dough is flattened, it is pressed with the fingertips to create small cavities.
Made with bread dough seasoned with za’atar (ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, or a combination of these mixed with toasted sesame seeds, salt, and other spices like sumac) mixed with olive oil.
Similar to flatbreads, they can be sliced or folded, served at either breakfast or lunch.
They can also be served topped with meat (lāḥm bi-‘ajīn), usually lamb, or cheese like akkawi or halloumi (called jubna), spinach (sabāniḵ), chili or kashk, a mixture of fermented yogurt and ground wheat, Makdous: eggplants in oil, olives, peppers, like the version in the photo tasted during our trip to Abu Dhabi in November 2025.
Once, in the morning, women would bake the Manaquish dough in a communal oven, to provide the family with daily bread, and at this time they prepared smaller portions of dough with different toppings for breakfast.
The manaqish are popular throughout the Levant and can also be found in neighboring regions and Levantine migration centers.
Traditionally, manakish were (and still are) cooked both:
• In the wood-fired oven (especially in home settings or Levantine bakeries)
• On the saj, a heated metal dome, more typical of rural or street home preparation, also used for baking thin bread (like markouk or khubz saj).
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6/7 pieces
- Cooking methods: Griddle
- Cuisine: Lebanese
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 2.5 tsp dry yeast
- 1.25 cups water (warm)
- to taste olive oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- to taste salt
- 3 tbsp za'atar
Preparation
Prepare the dough:
In a bowl, dissolve the yeast with warm water and sugar. Let it rest for 10 minutes until it foams. Add flour, salt, and oil. Knead until a soft and elastic dough is obtained. Cover and let rise for 1–2 hours, until doubled.
Form the manakish:
Divide the dough into 6 balls. Roll them out into thin discs (about 8 inches in diameter). Place them on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking tray.
Spread the za’atar and oil mixture on each disc.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 428°F for 7–10 minutes, until the edges are golden.Alternatively, on a pizza stone or hot cast iron skillet.
Manakish in Abu Dhabi
Manakish in Abu Dhabi
Sumac is a spice derived from a red berry, and you can also find it online.
How to prepare makdous?
Ingredients:
• Small eggplants – 1 kg
• Chopped walnuts – 150 g
• Garlic – 4 cloves (finely chopped)
• Red chili powder – 1 tablespoon (or fresh chopped, if preferred spicier)
• Salt – 1 tablespoon
• Extra virgin olive oil – as needed (about 500 ml or more, for storage)
Procedure:
1. Blanch whole eggplants (unpeeled) in salted water for 10–12 minutes, until soft but not mushy.
2. Cool them and place under weight (between two trays or colanders) for 24 hours, to release water. You can also slightly salt them.
3. Cut each eggplant like a book (not all the way through).
4. Prepare the filling by mixing: walnuts + garlic + chili + pinch of salt.
5. Fill each eggplant with this mixture.
