How to bake this Lebanese cheese flatbread
Feta, halloumi and mozzarella combine into a delicious pastry.
Flat bread from Lebanon: cheese and pastry has never worked so well (cooking.journey/Instagram)
Published date: 17 May 2019 12:35 BST
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Last update: 5 years 5 months ago
Levantine flat bread, known in Arabic as mana'esh b' jibneh, is topped with a mix of gooey white cheeses which combine well with the crunchy chia-encrusted outside and fluffy middle. The combination of melted stringiness and pastry comfort make it a popular flavour across Lebanon.
I find it's best served while served while warm with some cherry tomatoes, baby cucumbers, olives, mint and, of course, a cup of tea.
Recipe
Makes: 10-12
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Preparation and baking time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
1. Ingredients
For the dough
- 500g (1.1lbs) plain flour
- ½ tbsp yeast
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 75ml (2½oz) plain yoghurt
- 250ml (9oz) water, depending on the flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp chia seeds
For the topping
- 125g (1 cup) feta
- 125g (1 cup) halloumi
- 125g (1 cup) mozzarella
- an egg
- 1 tbsp olive oil
2. Method
For the cheese topping
- Cut to small pieces or shred all the cheeses
- Mix together and set aside.
For the dough
- Mix all the dough ingredients together well and knead for 5 to 7 mins.
- Cover and let rest for 45 mins until it has risen.
- Cut the dough into medium pieces or balls - you should have around 10 to 12.
- Cover and let rest for a further 15 mins.
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC fan (Non-fan: 220ºC /425ºF).
- Flatten each piece of dough with a rolling pin, ensuring it is not too thin.
- Top with the cheese mixture.
- Shape the edges as shown above
- Sprinkle some chia seeds on top, lay on a baking tray and bake for 15 to 20 mins until golden brown.
You can follow Nahed Alfar on her Instagram account: @cooking.journey
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