Zaatar bread, or what we would commonly call menaeesh , or 'manakish', is one the most popular flatbreads that hails from the Middle Eastern kitchen traditions. This simple yet satisfying pizza-like doughy bread is enjoyed any time of day. But mostly, in the mornings, with a hot cup of tea.
Zaatar is a spice mix comprised of dried thyme, oregano, toasted sesame seeds, sumac, and salt. The mix is then added to olive oil to form a nice runny paste, spread on top of the dough, then baked to a bubbly perfection! This is something we could easily make at home. But even better was when we'd pick it up from the neighborhood bakery, where they'd bake it fresh in a large brick oven (just like old-fashioned brick oven pizza).
Here is an artful, sensual video showing how to prepare zaatar spice mix:
And, here is the mouth-watering zaatar bread actually being prepared, at The Wooden Bakery. This bakery is a famous franchise operation, with one of its larger shops located just next to our home that grandma and grandpa built in the neighborhood called Zalkah, Beirut. If grandma could see this now, she'd be very amused and perhaps reminisce about the peaceful, golden era of Beirut, the Beirut she remembered from the 1960's.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cF5zyFgGhA&list=UUrv42roAWkq4Uq99_1qnGww
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