Few breakfasts beat a warm za'atar manakish straight from the oven: a soft, chewy middle, a crisp base and that fragrant mix of thyme, sumac and sesame soaked in good olive oil. You do not need a bakery oven to get close. An air fryer oven with a Pizza setting does a very good job, and it does not heat up the whole kitchen.

This recipe uses the Pizza preset on the Fridja f66 Super Oven, which reaches up to 220°C. Each manakish bakes in around 10 minutes. Every oven and every dough behaves a little differently, so treat the timings below as a guide and check as you go.

What you need

For the dough (makes 4 small manakish)

  • 250 g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • About 150 ml warm water

For the za'atar topping

  • 4 tablespoons za'atar mix
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

A good rule of thumb is roughly one part za'atar to one and a half parts olive oil. You want a loose, spreadable paste: thick enough to stay put, but wet enough that it soaks into the dough rather than burning on top. If your za'atar blend is coarse or very dry, add a little more oil.

Step by step

  1. Make the dough. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the olive oil and most of the water, then bring it together, adding the rest of the water a little at a time until you have a soft, slightly tacky dough.
  2. Knead. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes by hand, or a few minutes in a stand mixer, until smooth and springy.
  3. Let it rise. Cover and leave somewhere warm until roughly doubled, usually about an hour. In UAE weather this often happens quickly on the counter. You can also use the Ferment preset on the f66 to keep the dough at a steady, gentle warmth.
  4. Mix the topping. While the dough rises, stir the za'atar and olive oil together and leave it to sit so the herbs soften.
  5. Shape. Divide the dough into 4 balls. Roll or press each one into a round about 3 to 4 mm thick, roughly 15 cm across. Keep them a size that sits comfortably on the baking tray.
  6. Dimple and top. Press your fingertips all over the dough to make small dents, leaving a thin border. Spread about a quarter of the za'atar oil over each one so it pools in the dimples.
  7. Bake. Place one or two manakish on the baking tray, without crowding, and select the Pizza preset. Preheating is optional for baking, but a few minutes of preheating helps the base crisp. Bake for around 8 to 12 minutes, checking from about 7 minutes.
  8. Check for doneness. The edges should be golden and the base should be crisp and lightly browned when you lift it with a spatula. The za'atar should look glossy, not dark. If the top is colouring before the base is crisp, switch to manual mode, lower the temperature a little and give it a few more minutes.

Getting a crisp base

  • Roll it thin. Thick dough stays soft in the middle. Aim for 3 to 4 mm.
  • Do not overload the oil. Too much oil can make the base greasy rather than crisp.
  • Bake in batches. Air needs to move around the bread, so give each manakish space.
  • Try the grill rack. For an extra crisp underside, bake on the tray for most of the time, then slide the manakish on to the grill rack for the last minute or two.

Variations to try

  • Half and half. Spread za'atar on one half and grated akkawi or mozzarella on the other. Add the cheese a few minutes into baking so it melts without burning.
  • Tomato and onion. Add finely chopped tomato and onion on top of the za'atar before baking.
  • Chilli. Mix a pinch of chilli flakes into the za'atar oil for a little heat.
  • Quick version. Short on time? Use shop-bought pizza dough, or brush za'atar oil on to Arabic bread and bake for just a few minutes until crisp.

How to serve

Serve manakish warm with labneh, sliced cucumber and tomato, fresh mint and olives. They are perfect with a glass of sweet tea, or with one of our cooling juice recipes on a warm morning. Leftovers can be warmed through with the Reheat preset so the base crisps up again.

Why the f66 suits flatbreads

The f66 Super Oven is a 15 litre digital air fryer oven with 12 presets, including Pizza, Bake, Toast, Ferment and Reheat, plus manual time and temperature control. It comes with an air fry basket, grill rack, baking tray, crumb tray and recipe book, and all the accessories except the crumb tray are dishwasher safe. The interior is five-sided stainless steel, and the parts that touch food are made without chemical non-stick coatings, so they are PFAS, PTFE and PFOA free with no Teflon inside.

More from the kitchen

Not sure which size of air fryer oven is right for your home? Read air fryer oven vs air fryer. If you cook for a bigger family, the 30 litre f77 Super Oven Pro gives you more room. Ready to bake your first batch? Take a look at the Fridja f66 Super Oven.