Similar to pizza, this staple in Lebanon is easy to assemble and delicious
Author: Amanda Mouttaki
Ingredients
For the dough
3cwhole wheat flour
2Tbspyeast
2Tbsphoneyraw if possible
1tspsalt
1 ¼cwarm watermay need more
Meat Topping
½lbground beef or lamb
1medium tomato coarsely chopped
a handful of parsley
1tspcumin
1small onion chopped
½tspeach salt and pepper
2tbspolive oil
a handful sesame seedsoptional
Cheese Topping
Mix of fetahaloumi and any other melting cheese such as mozzarella, gruyere, or Arabic cheeses such as Majdoule or Ackawi
Instructions
To make the dough, mix the flour, salt, yeast and honey in a stand mixer with a dough hook. You can also mix this by hand. Slowly stream the water until the flour has all been picked up from the edges of the bowl and an elastic dough has been formed. It should be easy to knead and not too wet. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to rise at least one hour.
While the dough is rising prepare the toppings. Cheeses can be placed in one bowl. For the meat topping it really is best if a food processor is used but a blender can also be substituted. To mix in a food processor add all the ingredients and blend until a paste has been formed. It won’t look pretty but this helps it cook quickly. To make using a blender add all of the ingredients EXCEPT the meat and pulse until smooth (or close to it). In a large bowl mix the raw meat with the blended mixture. Mix very well so that everything is combined.
After the dough has risen it’s time to make the pizzas! Preheat your oven to 450F. This sounds high and it is but these cook extremely fast. IF you have a pizza stone or any other stone wear it is great for baking these on. If not – don’t worry a cookie sheet will work too! While the oven is heating, keep the cookie sheet or stone in the oven.
Remove the dough and knead for 2-3 minutes by hand. Kids LOVE this part! Be sure to place some flour on your surface so the dough doesn’t stick. Break off pieces of dough the size of a golf ball and using a rolling pin flatten to ¼” thickness.
Top each dough disc with a spread of the meat mixture or sprinkle of the cheeses. On Manoushe the meat and cheese do not go together – they’re separate! You’ll notice there isn’t any sauce either. You can drizzle some olive oil on the dough before adding the toppings but it’s optional.
Once the oven has heated carefully move the manoushe into the oven. The instant heat will prevent sticking and form a slight crust on the bottom. You most likely will have space to bake several at once. It will only take about 10 minutes to cook the meat pizzas and 8 minutes for the cheese. Continue this process until all of the dough has been used. Eat hot.