Lamb Flatbread With Zaatar Food

LAMB FLATBREAD WITH ZA'ATAR

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve yeast and sugar in water. Stir in 1 cup flour to form a thin batter. Leave to rest until mixture is bubbly, about 20 minutes.
• Add remaining flour, olive oil and salt. Mix until dough comes together, then knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. The dough should be soft and a bit sticky; dust lightly with flour as necessary. Return dough to bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. (Alternatively, put dough in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.)
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add onions, season generously with salt and stir to coat. Cook, stirring, until softened and nicely browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
• Add lamb to skillet and mash into onions with a large spoon until crumbled. Sprinkle with salt, then stir in pepper, clove, allspice, cayenne, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, sumac and pomegranate molasses. Turn heat to low and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes, until meat is just cooked through. Transfer mixture to a rimmed baking sheet and spread out to cool. (You will have a bit more lamb filling than you need - it's good on buttered toast for a cook's treat.)
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Punch down dough and divide into 8 2 1/2-ounce pieces. Knead each piece into a ball. Cover with a damp towel and let dough rest 20 to 30 minutes, then roll thinly or stretch each piece into a 6-inch round. Make the dough as thin as possible.
• Arrange 4 rolled-out dough rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush each with a generous amount of za'atar-oil mixture over dough (all the way to the edges or you'll get a puffed up "lip"). Make a layer of thinly sliced or crumbled feta, then sprinkle 1/4 cup of the cooled lamb mixture over the entire surface. Sprinkle on a few pine nuts, if using. Press topping down with the palm of your hand.
• Bake 4 flatbreads at a time, on the upper rack of the oven, for 5 to 8 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. The dough should still be soft and pliable, not crisp. Serve hot or at room temperature, garnished with parsley, mint and cilantro leaves, whole or roughly chopped.

ZA'ATAR FLATBREAD WITH LEBANESE VEGGIE SLAW AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• For the veggie slaw: In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, Aleppo pepper and salt. Whisk well, and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, add the romaine, cherry tomatoes, parsley, mint, cucumber, red onion and red pepper. Mix together until well combined. Pour the lemon dressing over the slaw and toss to thoroughly coat, being careful not to bruise the lettuce.
• For the za'atar flatbread: Place a wok, dome-side up, over a burner and preheat over medium heat.
• Divide the pizza dough in half and roll into balls. Oil the dough and set aside at room temperature until it can be easily rolled out, about 30 minutes. Flatten the dough balls and, with a floured rolling pin, roll each into a 12- to 14-inch circle.
• In a small mixing bowl combine the za'atar and 4 tablespoons of the olive oil; reserve to the side. Season the pre-heated wok with 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil. Set the first flatbread over the domed wok surface; it will start to cook immediately. Brush with half of the olive oil-za'atar mixture, spreading it evenly to 1/4-inch from the edges. Cook the flatbread until just lightly brown on the bottom. Remove to a flat surface, and repeat for other flatbread.
• To serve, add some veggie slaw to each flatbread, garnish with the goat cheese and roll up like a burrito. Cut in half and serve. Skewer if needed.

GRILLED FLATBREAD WITH ZATAR AND YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix yeast with water. Add flour and salt. Mix for 15 minutes. Add more flour if dough seems wet. Should clean sides of bowl but be semi-sticky.
• Proof in an oiled container for approximately 1 hour. Roll into 3-ounce balls on a semolina sprinkled sheet pan. Cover and refrigerate.
• Mix zatar ingredients to combine. Set aside at room temperature.
• Put drained goat yogurt in a mixing bowl and add the remaining sauce ingredients.
• Preheat as grill to medium heat.
• When ready to grill, take a ball of dough and with your hands or a rolling pin, stretch the dough to about an 8-inch circle. Brush lightly with olive oil and grill on medium fire until it starts to puff. Flip and cook on other side for about 1 minute more. Place on a kitchen towel and cover until all doughs are cooked.
• Take the warm flatbread, drizzle with 1 to 2 tablespoons of zatar, drizzle with yogurt sauce and roll up taco or wrap style. For a more substantial meal, add your favorite grilled meat and top with any combination of your favorite items, like: chopped romaine, sliced red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, mint, cilantro and/or feta cheese

FLATBREAD WITH ZA'ATAR, LEMON AND OIL TOPPING

Steps:

• For The Bread: Whisk together the yeast, water and sugar. Stir in the oil, the all-purpose flour and most of the bread flour, then the salt. Mix to form a soft dough. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes, till it's elastic and supple, adding additional flour as needed.
• Place the dough in a large, well-greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a tea towel, and let rise until doubled. Alternatively, allow the dough a long, cool rise in the refridgerator, several hours or overnight. Bring the dough to room temperature before shaping; it'll rise as it warms up.
• Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Stretch or roll the pieces into irregular slabs, and let rest for 15 minutes, covered with a tea towel. Spread some lemon/olive oil/za'atar mixture onto each piece of dough.
• Rub grill with vegetable oil. Preheat the grill to its hottest temperature. Place the flatbreads gently on the grill. Cover and bake for 1 to 2 minutes, then check for doneness. Allow to bake until the tops begin to brown. Brush with additional topping if desired and remove from the grill.
• For The Za'atar Topping: Mix topping ingredients with a whisk until well blended. Set aside until ready to use.

MANAQEESH (ZA'ATAR FLATBREADS)

Steps:

• Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, mix both flours, the salt and sugar. Add the oil, yeast and 1 cup water, and knead in the bowl with your fingers. Gradually knead in another 1/4 cup water, then knead in more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together into a somewhat sticky ball. Let rest 5 minutes, then knead until smooth, supple and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Alternatively, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine all the dough ingredients with 1 cup water and mix on low speed, gradually adding water until the dough comes together. Continue mixing until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
• Rub the dough ball lightly with some oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside until the dough doubles in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Timing will vary depending on water and room temperatures.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: Combine the za'atar and olive oil in a bowl and mix well.
• Divide the risen dough into 6 equal portions, roll into spheres and place on a greased baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel so the dough doesn't dry out. Let rise again until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oven to 500 degrees. Very lightly grease 2 baking sheets with olive oil.
• Place a dough round on a prepared sheet. With your fingers, flatten it into a thin circle 7 to 8 inches in diameter. Use a spoon to spread about one-sixth of the za'atar mixture on top, leaving a narrow border along the perimeter and pressing the za'atar into the dough firmly with the spoon to prevent the bread from rising as it bakes. If your baking sheet can fit another piece or two of dough, repeat the process on the same sheet.
• Bake until golden at the edges and the topping is lightly bubbling, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. While the first batch is in the oven, prepare more on the second sheet. Bake as soon as the first sheet comes out. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.
• Serve as soon as they're cool enough to handle or at room temperature. Once cooled, leftovers can be stored in the freezer, with parchment or wax paper between each piece, for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven when ready to enjoy.

GRILLED FLATBREADS WITH ZA'ATAR

Steps:

• Place 1 1/4 cups warm water in small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes. Whisk 3 cups flour and salt in large bowl. Add yeast mixture and 2 tablespoons oil. Using wooden spoon, mix until sticky dough forms. Turn out onto floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, sprinkling with more flour if very sticky, about 6 minutes.
• Oil another large bowl. Add dough; turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap. Let dough rise until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours. Punch down dough; divide into 6 pieces. Shape each piece into ball. Roll out each on lightly floured surface to 7x4-inch oval.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill each flatbread until cooked through and golden, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer hot flatbreads to board. Brush with olive oil; sprinkle with za'atar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

LEBANESE ZAATAR (ZA'ATAR) BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix water, yeast, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, olive oil, and corn oil; mix using your hands, adding more whole wheat flour if needed, until dough holds together. Mix za'atar into dough until evenly incorporated (see notes).
• Shape dough, about 1/4 cup per piece, into rounds on a floured work surface. Arrange rounds on baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, about 25 minutes.