Manakish

Manakish

Manakish made with za'atar
Alternative names	Manaqish, manaeesh, manakeesh, man'ousheh
Type	Flatbread
Course	Breakfast or lunch
Place of origin	the Levant
Region or state	Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Israel
Main ingredients	Dough, thyme, cheese or ground meat

Manakish, also manaqish, manaeesh or manakeesh or in singular form man'ousheh (Arabic: مناقيش‎‎ manāqīsh; sometimes called معجنات mu‘ajjanāt 'pastry') is a popular Levantine food consisting of dough topped with thyme, cheese, or ground meat. Similar to a pizza, it can be sliced or folded, and it can either be served for breakfast or lunch. The word manaqish is the plural of the Arabic word manqūshah (from the root verb naqasha 'to sculpt, carve out'), meaning that after the dough has been rolled flat, it is pressed by the fingertips to create little dips for the topping to lie in.

Traditionally, women would bake dough in a communal oven in the morning, to provide their family with their daily bread needs, and would prepare smaller portions of dough with different toppings for breakfast at this time.

Manakish is popular in most Levant countries, especially Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan, as well as in many cities throughout the world where people of Levant origin have settled.