Grilled Zaatar Flatbread Recipes

GRILLED LEBANESE FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Whisk together the salt, sugar, yeast and 1 cup warm water in a large bowl. Let the mixture sit until it begins to froth, about 5 minutes, then add the flour and mix until well combined. (If the dough is very dry, add more warm water a tablespoon at a time to moisten it.) Cover and let rise somewhere warm for about an hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare a grill; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. When the dough has puffed up, transfer it to a well-floured surface and knead until soft and silky, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Cut the dough into 8 equally sized pieces and roll each one out until it's about 6 inches in diameter; don't worry about making these perfectly round, but try to keep them relatively even in thickness. Brush one side of the breads with olive oil and put as many on the grill, oiled side down, as will comfortably fit at one time. While the first side cooks, brush the side facing you with more oil; when the breads begin to brown and puff up, flip them. When the second side is nicely browned, remove from the grill and sprinkle with the za'atar, if you'd like. Serve immediately.

GRILLED ZA'ATAR BREAD

Steps:

• To make the Flatbread: Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in the workbowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add in yogurt or milk and olive and mix at low speed until dough comes together. Dough should stick to the bottom of bowl as it kneads, if it is not, add in extra yogurt or milk 1 tablespoon at a time as necessary. Increase speed to medium-high and knead for 5 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until a smooth ball forms. Place dough in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise as room temperature until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface and cut into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and place on a baking sheet or floured surface, cover with plastic wrap or damp cloth, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and arrange coals on one side of charcoal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil grilling grate. On a floured surface, roll each piece of dough out into a circle roughly 8-inches in diameter. Place one or two pieces of dough on hot side of grill and cook until browned and lightly charred in spots. Flip bread and continue to cook until second side is browned and lightly charred in spots. Transfer bread to cool side of grill, brush with olive oil and season generously with za'atar. Transfer to cutting board and slice bread into 6 equal pieces. Repeat with remaining dough. Serve immediately with labneh topped with olive oil and za'atar for for dipping.

MAN'OUSHE

Steps:

• To make the dough, in a bowl of a stand mixer (if mixing by hand, use a large bowl), sprinkle the yeast over the water along with the sugar and let sit in a warm place until the yeast starts to bubble, about 10 minutes.
• Stir in the olive oil, flour, and salt. If using a stand mixer, use the dough hook attachment. If mixing by hand, stir with a wood spoon or spatula until it becomes too thick to stir, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured counter. Knead the dough in the machine on medium-high speed, or by hand, until the dough forms a smooth ball, but is slightly sticky when you touch it with your finger. It'll take about 5 minutes and will pull away from the sides of the mixer bowl. Cover the dough in the bowl with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until the dough doubles in volume, about 1 1/2 hours.
• To make the flatbreads, preheat the oven to 500ºF/260ºC and move the oven rack to the upper third of the oven. Set a baking steel on the rack. (Check the manufacturer's instructions for your baking steel or stone.) Otherwise, line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the baking steel or stone for 45 minutes.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured countertop and divide the dough into six pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a small oval, rolling it just until each starts to resist. When each one does, set it aside on the countertop and begin rolling another. Continue to roll each of the six pieces of dough into ovals, stopping when the dough starts stretching back on itself.
• When ready to bake, take the first oval of dough and roll it out to its final size, adding a bit more flour if necessary to keep it from sticking to the counter or rolling pin, turning it over a few times to ensure it's not sticking. Roll it until it's about 12-inch long by 4- or 5-inches wide (30cm by 10- to 12cm).
• Spread the oval with a layer of the za'atar mixture, about 1 1/2 tablespoons per flatbread leaving, not quite reaching the edge so there's space for a crust. Don't worry about any bare spots when smearing on the za'atar: it doesn't need to be perfect.
• (Note: My za'atar was quite fresh, and strong. But if yours isn't, you can use more of the topping is you wish. If you need more for spreading, mix za'atar and olive oil together in even amounts.)
• Lift the finished flatbread with your hands, or slide a pizza peel dusted with flour underneath, and transfer the flatbread on the baking steel or stone. Continue rolling and topping the rest of the flatbreads, baking each until the crust is golden brown, about 7 minutes.
• (If you don't have a pizza peel and are worried about transferring the dough, another option is to cut six sheets of parchment paper to a size that will fit under the rolled dough, then transfer the unbaked flatbreads to the parchment paper before smearing them with za'atar. Leave the parchment paper under the flatbreads and lift them, holding the ends of the paper, then bake the man'oushe breads on the parchment paper, setting them directly on the baking steel or stone.)
• Remove the flatbreads from the oven when the crusts are golden brown and serve warm or at room temperature.

GRILLED ZA'ATAR FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat grill pan. On a well floured surface, roll or pat the dough into a rustic, oblong shape, about 1/4-inch thick. Brush the crust with a thin layer of olive oil, and dust liberally with za'atar. Lay the oiled side down onto the hot grill. Once the dough looks set, in about 2 minutes, lightly brush with more oil, dust with za'atar and turn the crust over. Sprinkle with salt. Cut into large wedges and serve while warm.

GRILLED FLATBREAD WITH ZATAR AND YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix yeast with water. Add flour and salt. Mix for 15 minutes. Add more flour if dough seems wet. Should clean sides of bowl but be semi-sticky.
• Proof in an oiled container for approximately 1 hour. Roll into 3-ounce balls on a semolina sprinkled sheet pan. Cover and refrigerate.
• Mix zatar ingredients to combine. Set aside at room temperature.
• Put drained goat yogurt in a mixing bowl and add the remaining sauce ingredients.
• Preheat as grill to medium heat.
• When ready to grill, take a ball of dough and with your hands or a rolling pin, stretch the dough to about an 8-inch circle. Brush lightly with olive oil and grill on medium fire until it starts to puff. Flip and cook on other side for about 1 minute more. Place on a kitchen towel and cover until all doughs are cooked.
• Take the warm flatbread, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of zatar, drizzle with yogurt sauce and roll up taco or wrap style. For a more substantial meal, add your favorite grilled meat and top with any combination of your favorite items, like: chopped romaine, sliced red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, mint, cilantro and/or feta cheese

GRILLED FLATBREADS WITH ZA'ATAR

Steps:

• Place 1 1/4 cups warm water in small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes. Whisk 3 cups flour and salt in large bowl. Add yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons oil. Using wooden spoon, mix until sticky dough forms. Turn out onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with more flour if very sticky, about 6 minutes.
• Oil another large bowl. Add dough; turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough; divide into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into ball. Roll out each on lightly floured surface to 7x4-inch oval.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill each flatbread until cooked through and golden, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer hot flatbreads to board. Brush with olive oil; sprinkle with za'atar. Serve warm or at room temperature.