Recipe
October 17, 2012
Cheese & Za’atar Flatbread Recipe

Step 1: In a large bowl mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Pour in the 2 tbsp oil and the water gradually. Mix to form a dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough becomes elastic and smooth.
Step 2: Place in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Leave to rise in a draft-free place for 1-1/2 hours until it doubles in size.
Step 3: Cut the dough into 8 equal parts and shape into balls. Dust with a little flour and cover with a towel. Leave to rest for an additional 30 minutes.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 5: Combine the za’atar and the 1/2 cup olive oil to make the topping. Shred the cheese and set aside.
Step 6: On a floured surface, flatten each ball and with a rolling pin roll into a circle of approximately 6-8″. Place on greased baking sheets and spread the za’atar/oil mixture on some of the circles leaving a 1/2″ border. Do the same for the cheese flatbreads. Use your fingers to spread the fillings evenly. Pinch and crimp the edges to create a decorative border.
Step 7: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden, and serve hot.
See more recipes from Suzanne Husseini.
Reprinted with permission from Suzanne Husseini’s Modern Flavors of Arabia (2012 Appetite by Random House).
Directions
Yield:
Step 1: In a large bowl mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Pour in the 2 tbsp oil and the water gradually. Mix to form a dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes until the dough becomes elastic and smooth.
Step 2: Place in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Leave to rise in a draft-free place for 1-1/2 hours until it doubles in size.
Step 3: Cut the dough into 8 equal parts and shape into balls. Dust with a little flour and cover with a towel. Leave to rest for an additional 30 minutes.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Step 5: Combine the za’atar and the 1/2 cup olive oil to make the topping. Shred the cheese and set aside.
Step 6: On a floured surface, flatten each ball and with a rolling pin roll into a circle of approximately 6-8″. Place on greased baking sheets and spread the za’atar/oil mixture on some of the circles leaving a 1/2″ border. Do the same for the cheese flatbreads. Use your fingers to spread the fillings evenly. Pinch and crimp the edges to create a decorative border.
Step 7: Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden, and serve hot.
See more recipes from Suzanne Husseini.
Reprinted with permission from Suzanne Husseini’s Modern Flavors of Arabia (2012 Appetite by Random House).
[img_assist|nid=2166266|title=|desc=|link=none|align=middle|width=225|height=268]Petrina Tinslay