Man’oushe (double layer pie)
I’m excited to share this recipe with you! I just have to note that this recipe is adapted from a favorite book of mine called Man’oushe by Barbara Abdeni Massaad. It’s a wonderful book and I recommend you add it to your cook book collection.
I slightly change the recipe to work for the home kitchen and turn it into a double layer man’oushe pie but you can definitely use the recipe as a regular man’oushe. This recipe is great because the dough is a thin layer just like the ones you get in bakeries.
Recipe:
1 1/4 cup luckwarm water
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup cake flour
Toppings: Za’atar mixture (1:1 za’atar spice and olive oil), mozzarella cheese, nabulsi cheese
Directions:
To a bowl or a stand mixer, add water, sugar, and yeast and wait 5 minutes until the yeast forms a foam. (That means your yeast has activated)
Then add olive oil and salt to the water.
Slowly start to add the bread flour and cake flour while whisking the flours with the wet ingredients. If you are using a stand mixer, mix it on medium for 5 minutes. If you are kneading with your hands than knead for 10 minutes.
Cover the dough in a plastic wrap and then cover the bowl with a towel and let it rest in a dark and warm spot for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. (that means either in an oven that is turned off, a cabinet, or the corner of your counter top)
After resting, divide the dough into 4 balls. Roll the dough into a 12 inch circle. (The thickness of how you roll it will determine the thickness of the man’oushe. If you roll it really thin it will be crispy, if you roll it thick it will be doughy)
Place your dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Spread the cheese on top of the dough except for the corner of the dough.
Optional to make a double layer pie: Add another stretched dough on top of the dough with cheese and enclosed it on the sides.
get a fork and poke the top dough, then spread your za’atar mixture on top.
Bake at the bottom rack for 8 minutes at a temperature of 450 F and then transfer to the top for 5 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Remove and get into slices like a pizza.
Enjoy with your favorite assortment of vegetables.
