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Manaeesh b’Kishik (Flat Bread with Kishik topping)

October 28, 2011 in Bread, Vegetarian | Permalink

Kishik is basically a mixture of coarse burghul and salted laban (yoghurt) left to ferment for several days, milk is added at a later stage after which the mixture is left to ferment again then dried before being ground into a powder. In the old days, women in villages used to do most of the process before sending the mixture to the mill for grinding and I believe some still prefer the homemade one. Kishik is sold packaged in Lebanese groceries.

Kishik is versatile and has a sour taste which makes it ideal to cook with. Because of its texture, it easily absorbs fluids or juices from other complementing ingredients such as tomatoes and that is what makes this topping unusually delicious.

This is my own topping version, however, you can vary it to suit your taste, like for instance omitting tomatoes and adding onions.

Makes about 8 medium ones

Ingredients.

For the dough:

Follow the same amount and instructions as the ones for Manaeesh bi Zaatar

For the topping.

  • 100g / 4 oz  Kishik
  • 1 large juicy tomato finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste diluted in 1 tbsp water
  • About 5 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate or lemon juice to taste

Method

    1. Prepare the bread dough as for Manaeesh bi Zaatar.
    2. Mix all the ingredients for the topping, the mixture should be spreadable. If you think it is stiff, loosen it with a little water. Set aside.
    3. When the rising time is up, take the dough and put it on a lightly floured surface. Punch it to get rid of the excess air, then knead again for about 3-4 minutes, alternatively, let the mixer do the kneading for 2 minutes.
    4. Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball with a lightly dusted rolling pin to 16cm/ 6½ inches circle, 3-4mm / 1/8 inch thick. Alternatively, you can make nicely shaped circles by using large cutters. Place the dough circles on the prepared baking parchment papers, cover and let them rest for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 230ºC / 450ºF, heating up at the same time the baking sheets.
    5. When the resting time for the dough circles is up and they are ready to bake, uncover them and dimple the surface of each one with your fingertips to prevent it from puffing up during baking. Cover generously the top of each dough circle with the Kishik mixture leaving about 1cm / ½ inch gap around the edges. Next, slide the dough circles with their baking parchment onto the hot baking sheets, you may need to do them in batches. You have to be quick when you open the oven, as it is very important to maintain the same temperature all the time.
    6. Bake for 4-6 minutes, the edges should be slightly golden and the top bubbling hot. Transfer to a wire rack and serve while still hot or warm.

These Manaeesh b’Kishik freeze well.

Lahem b’Ajeen (Flat Bread with Minced Meat Topping)

September 25, 2011 in Bread, Meat Dishes, Savoury Pastries | Permalink

I tend to make the individual dough circles slightly thicker than the ones with Zaatar because I think it suits the minced meat topping. However, this is a personal preference, therefore, it is up to you.

Makes about 8 medium ones or 6 (if you prefer them slightly thicker)

Ingredients.

For the dough:

Follow the same amount and instructions as the ones for Manaeesh bi Zaatar

For the topping

  • 240g/ 8½ oz minced lamb
  • Salt to taste & freshly milled black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
  • 1 or 2 chillies (depending how hot you like it) finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts (optional)

To serve

  • Lemon wedges
  • Pickled cucumbers cut into thin slices (optional)
  • Plain yoghurt (optional)

Method

    1. Prepare the bread dough as for Manaeesh bi Zaatar
    2. As for the topping, except for the pine nuts, thoroughly mix all the ingredients until well combined, you may need to use your hands to achieve that. Taste and adjust if necessary. Keep aside until the dough is ready to bake.
    3. When the resting time for the dough circles is up and they are ready to bake, uncover them and dimple the surface of each one with your fingertips to prevent it from puffing up during baking. Cover generously the top of each dough circle with the meat mixture leaving about 1cm / ½ inch gap around the edges. If you are using pine nuts, scatter a few on each circle, pressing down gently with the back of a spoon. Next, slide the dough circles with their baking parchment onto the hot baking sheets, you may need to do them in batches. You have to be quick when you open the oven, as it is very important to maintain the same temperature all the time.
    4. Bake for about 8 minutes, the edges should be slightly golden and the top bubbling hot with the pine nuts turning a golden brown colour. Transfer to a wire rack and serve hot or warm.

NB. Lahm b’Ajeen freezes well.

Manaeesh bi Zaatar (Flat Bread with Thyme topping)

August 29, 2011 in Bread, Vegan, Vegetarian | Permalink

Manaeesh bi Zaatar is our national breakfast. Suitable for everybody, more specifically for vegans and vegetarians as well as that, it freezes well.

The topping that we call Zaatar is basically a mixture of dried thyme, sumac and sesame seeds. You can buy it ready prepared from Middle Eastern or Lebanese grocers, it comes usually packaged.

Some cooks use the same bread dough for making the Flat Bread with the various toppings, others prefer the following one where the only difference is the addition of more oil. Both work well.

Makes about 8 medium ones

Ingredients.

For the dough:

  • 400g /14oz strong white flour, slightly warmed plus a little extra for dusting
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1 tsp easy blend yeast or its equivalent of fresh or dried yeast
  • About 200ml / 7fl oz lukewarm water
  • 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil plus a little extra for greasing

You also need baking parchment paper cut to fit the baking sheets.

For the topping

  • 4 tbsp Zaatar
  • 100ml / 3½ fl oz extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion finely chopped (optional)

Method

  1. Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl then mix in the yeast. Add the oil into the water. Make a well in the centre of the bowl and gradually tip in the water-oil mixture. Using your fingertips, combine all the ingredients, depending on the flour, you may need to add some more water, the dough should feel elastic and come away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes. Alternatively, you could do the whole process in an electric mixer using the dough hook, thus reducing the kneading time by half (for about 5 minutes). In the end, the dough should feel spongy and elastic.
  2. Shape the dough into a ball then transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a polythene bag or cling film, but make sure that they are lightly oiled to prevent the dough from sticking. Leave it in a warm place until it has doubled in size. The rising time usually takes one and a half to two hours.
  3. Meanwhile, mix the topping ingredients and set aside.
  4. When the rising time is up, take the dough and put it on a lightly floured surface. Punch it to get rid of the excess air, then knead again for about 3-4 minutes, alternatively, let the mixer do the kneading for 2 minutes.
  5. Divide the dough into 8-9 equal balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each ball with a lightly dusted rolling pin to 16cm/ 6½ inches circle, 3-4mm / 1/8 inch thick. Alternatively, you can make nicely shaped circles by using large cutters. Place the dough circles on the prepared baking parchment papers, cover and let them rest for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 230ºC / 450ºF, heating up at the same time the baking sheets.
  6. When the resting time is up and ready to bake, uncover the dough circles and dimple the surface of each one with your fingertips to prevent it from puffing up during baking. Put 1 heaped tbsp of the prepared Zaatar mixture in the middle and spread it all over, leaving about 1cm / ½inch gap around the edges. Slide the dough circles with their baking parchment onto the hot baking sheets, you may need to do them in batches. You have to be quick when you open the oven, as it is very important to maintain the same temperature all the time.
  7. Bake for 4-8 minutes, the edges should be slightly golden and the top bubbling hot. Transfer to a wire rack and serve while still hot or warm.

Another variation which is vey nice. Omit the onion if using. Finely chop one juicy medium tomato and add it with 2 tsp of tomato puree to the ingredients for the toping, mix thoroughly, if it becomes too thick loosen it with some olive oil. Put one tbsp in the middle of the rolled out dough and spread it all over. Continue as above.

Al Khubz al Loubnani (Lebanese Bread)

July 25, 2011 in Bread, General | Permalink

Lebanese bread is a fundamental staple in Lebanese cuisine, and perhaps it dates back to Phoenician times. In fact, the Egyptian philosopher Athenaeus who lived in the third century A.D wrote that the best bakers were brought from Phoenicia

http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodbreads.html

Lebanese bread is made from wheat flour, however, the Lebanese wheat grain is hard with a high gluten content which in turn contributes to the elasticity of the dough. People, including some Lebanese food writers, mistakenly call Lebanese bread Pitta Bread. It is true, that Pitta bread is the closest one to ours and a nice one too, but it is not the same, even supermarkets clearly make this distinction as they package them labelled with the appropriate name. Lebanese bread or as some also call it Arabic bread is round, thinner and more malleable: you can easily open it without breaking it. It is made to suit the Lebanese dishes and act as a perfect wrap for the different varieties of Shawarma, Kafta and so forth. Also, Lebanese bread comes in many sizes varying from the tiny little round ones, to medium sizes, to the large ones, about 30cm/ 12 inches.

Another type of bread is called Khubz Marqooq (Paper Thin Bread). It is literally very thin bread. Before baking was industrialised, Marqooq was a speciality that required lots of practice and skill. This was a tradition of the mountain villages whose women passed it from mother to daughter.

In this section, I included the basic recipe for the Lebanese bread, and there will be others for flat bread that is baked with a number of traditional toppings such as Manaeesh b’Zaatar (Thyme), Lahm b’Ajeen (Minced Meat) and Manaeesh b’Kishik (Dried Yoghurt).

Ajeenat al Khubz (Basic Bread Dough)

When making bread, the flour should be slightly warm, it makes a difference in speeding up the whole process. One more tip is heating up the baking sheets before baking the bread, the idea is to keep an even oven temperature and help the bread to puff up.

In this recipe, I use easy blend yeast, however, dried or fresh yeast also work well but you have to check the equivalent amount to the one recommended for the easy blend in this recipe. Whatever you decide to go for, follow the instructions of the manufacturer.   

Makes about 8 to 9 pieces.

Ingredients.

  • 400g/14 oz strong white flour, slightly warmed plus a little extra plus for dusting
  • 1½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp easy blend yeast or its equivalent of fresh or dried yeast
  • About 200ml/ 7fl oz lukewarm water
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil plus a little extra for greasing

You also need baking parchment paper cut to fit the baking sheets.

Method

  1. Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl then mix in the yeast. Mix the oil into the water. Make a well in the centre of the bowl and gradually tip in the water-oil mixture. Using your hands, combine all the ingredients, depending on the flour, you may need to add some more water, the dough should feel elastic and come away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 8-10 minutes. Alternatively, you could do the whole process in an electric mixer using the dough hook, thus reducing the kneading time by half (for about 5 minutes). In the end, the dough should feel spongy and elastic.
  2. Shape the dough into a ball then transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover with a polythene bag or cling film, but make sure that they are oiled to prevent the dough from sticking. Leave it in a warm place until it has doubled in size. The rising time usually takes one or two hours.
  3. When the rising time is up, pick up the dough and put it on a lightly floured surface. Punch it to get rid of the excess air, then knead again for about 3-4 minutes, alternatively, let the mixer do the kneading for 2 minutes.
  4. Divide the dough into 8-9 equal balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll out with a lightly dusted rolling pin each ball to 16cm/ 6½ inches circle, 3-4mm/ 1/8 inch thick. Alternatively, you can make nicely shaped circles by using large cutters. Place the dough circles on the prepared baking parchment papers, cover and let them rest for another 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 230 ºC/ 450ºF, heating up at the same time the baking sheets. When the resting time is up and ready to bake, slide the dough circles with their baking parchment onto the hot baking sheets, you may need to do them in batches. You have to be quick when you open the oven, as it is very important to maintain the same temperature all the time.
  5. Bake for 4-8 minutes until they puff up like an inflated balloon, the colour should be lightly golden.
  6. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly but, do not stack the baked ones on top of each other, until they are cool. If you are not consuming all the bread at once, you can keep the rest in the fridge for a couple of days or freeze it.