Za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice mix of wild thyme, sumac, and toasted sesame seeds, tops chewy flatbread in this iconic Lebanese snack. Chef Fouad Kassab’s family serves it around the autumn olive harvest in Lebanon, when the bread is flooded with a generous amount of new-season olive oil before being topped with juicy tomato wedges and fresh mint. This recipe first appeared in our October 2014 issue with the story Home for the Harvest.
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour, plus more for dusting
- 6 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 tbsp. za'atar
- 2 tbsp. cured black olives, pitted
- 1⁄2 vine-ripe tomato, cut into ¼" wedges
- Mint, for garnish
Instructions
Step 1
Stir flour, 1 tbsp. oil, the salt, and ¼ cup water in a bowl until dough forms. Knead dough in bowl until elastic, 1–2 minutes; cover with plastic wrap and let sit in a warm place for 10 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; roll into a 10" circle, about ⅙" thick. Stir 2 tbsp. oil and the za'atar in a bowl. Heat remaining oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high; cook dough, flipping once, until golden and slightly puffed, 5–7 minutes. Slide onto a plate and spread with za'atar mixture; top with olives, tomato, and mint leaves.
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