Man’oushé (Herbed Vegetable Flatbread Sandwich)

Name: Man'oushé (Herbed Vegetable Flatbread Sandwich)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 3 1 ⁄ 2 cups flour; 1 tbsp. sugar; 2 tsp. kosher salt; 1 tsp. active dry yeast; 1 tbsp. canola oil; 1 ⁄ 4 cup jarred za'atar; 4 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for brushing; 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped; 1 medium tomato, cored and finely chopped; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 4 pickled turnips , drained and cut into 1/4″-square sticks; 1 ⁄ 2 cup fresh mint leaves

Serves
serves 4

TODD COLEMAN

A common street food in Lebanon, manaeesh are flatbreads spread with various fillings, then folded over for easy eating. This recipe is based on one in Barbara Abdeni Massaad's Man'oushe: Inside the Street Corner Lebanese Bakery (Alarm, 2005), and first appeared in our April 2011 special Sandwich Issue with author Annia Ciezadlo's article Survival Food.

Ingredients

For the Dough

3 ¹⁄₂ cups flour
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1 tbsp. canola oil

For the Filling

¹⁄₄ cup jarred za'atar
4 tbsp. olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, cored and finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
4 pickled turnips, drained and cut into 1/4″-square sticks
¹⁄₂ cup fresh mint leaves

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the dough: Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Stir together yeast and 1 1⁄4 cups water heated to 115° in a small bowl, and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add yeast mixture to flour, along with oil, and stir until a dough forms. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead until smooth, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a lightly floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let sit until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Punch down dough and divide into fourths; knead each into a ball. Place balls on a floured, parchment paper-lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap; let sit for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Stir together za'atar and oil in a small bowl until smooth; set aside. Heat a 12″ cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working with 1 ball of dough at a time, transfer to a work surface and roll into a 10″ circle; brush with oil and add to skillet, oiled side down, and brush top with oil. Cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through, 2–3 minutes. Spread za'atar mixture evenly over each circle, top with onion and tomato, and season with salt and pepper. Top each with turnips and mint leaves, and roll up or fold in half to serve.

Make the dough: Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl; set aside. Stir together yeast and 1 1⁄4 cups water heated to 115° in a small bowl, and let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add yeast mixture to flour, along with oil, and stir until a dough forms. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead until smooth, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a lightly floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap; let sit until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Punch down dough and divide into fourths; knead each into a ball. Place balls on a floured, parchment paper-lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap; let sit for 30 minutes.
Stir together za'atar and oil in a small bowl until smooth; set aside. Heat a 12″ cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working with 1 ball of dough at a time, transfer to a work surface and roll into a 10″ circle; brush with oil and add to skillet, oiled side down, and brush top with oil. Cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through, 2–3 minutes. Spread za'atar mixture evenly over each circle, top with onion and tomato, and season with salt and pepper. Top each with turnips and mint leaves, and roll up or fold in half to serve.