Levantine · Free recipe
Za'atar Flatbread
Soft, olive-oil-rich dough is pressed out by hand and blanketed with a thick paste of za'atar, sumac, sesame, and fruity oil before baking. The herby topping toasts until fragrant while the flatbread stays chewy and bendable, just right for tearing and swiping through labneh.
- Prep
- 1 hr 30 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 1 hr 45 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
Method
-
Stir the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt together, add the warm water and 2 tbsp olive oil, and knead for 6 minutes until smooth and elastic.
-
Cover the dough in an oiled bowl and let rise for 1 hour until doubled.
-
Heat the oven to 475F with a baking stone or inverted sheet pan on the lowest rack.
-
Stir the za'atar, sesame seeds, and sumac into the 1/3 cup olive oil to form a loose, spreadable paste.
-
Divide the dough into 6 pieces and press each out with oiled fingertips on parchment into a 7-inch round, leaving dimples all over the surface.
-
Spread a generous spoonful of the za'atar paste over each round, leaving a thin bare rim.
-
Bake 2 or 3 at a time for 7 to 9 minutes until the edges turn golden and the bottoms are crisp in spots, then serve warm with labneh.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Do not bake the flatbreads until the topping looks dark; za'atar burns quickly and turns bitter, so pull them when the edges are only lightly golden.
