Cheese Manakish
Manakish are the companion of our warm mornings; we take them hot out of the oven and fold them with a cup of tea or mint, and cheese manakish is among the most beloved by children.
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and leave it for five minutes until it foams; the appearance of foam shows that the yeast is active and good.
Add the flour, salt, and oil and knead until a soft, smooth, non-sticky dough forms. The dough is ready when it pulls away from the bowl's wall and springs back when pressed.
Cover the dough and leave it in a warm place for about an hour until it doubles in size. Doubling is the sign of a complete first proof.
Mix the akkawi and mozzarella. If the akkawi is very salty, soak it in cold water for ten minutes and drain it, as this balances the saltiness before baking.
Divide the dough into balls and roll them into discs half a centimeter thick, and spread the cheese over the top leaving a small border. Press the surface with your fingertips so the cheese holds.
Bake at 230 degrees Celsius for 10 to 12 minutes until the cheese melts and turns golden and the edges are firm. They are ready when the cheese is fully melted and the edges are browned.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Cheese Manakish, and how to fix them:
Make sure the water is warm, not hot, for very hot water kills the yeast and prevents rising.
Lower the rack a little or shorten the baking time, as long direct heat dries the cheese before the dough is done.
Bake on a lower rack or on a preheated tray so the heat reaches the bottom quickly.
Soak the akkawi in water before use and reduce the salt added to the dough.
Keep the baked manakish in a sealed bag for up to three days, and reheat them in the oven or a skillet to restore the texture.
Freeze the baked manakish after they cool completely in bags, and reheat them from frozen straight in the oven.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akkawi cheese | Mozzarella cheese only | 1 to 1 | A calmer flavor, higher melt, and less saltiness. |
| White flour | Partly whole wheat flour | Up to half the amount | Raises the fiber with a slightly denser texture. |
| Instant yeast | Active dry yeast | 1 to 1 | Dissolve it first in the warm water before adding. |
| Mozzarella cheese | Desalted Nabulsi cheese | 1 to 1 | An available Levantine alternative with a distinctive taste. |
| Ingredient | 2 servings | 4 servings (base) | 8 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| White flour | 150 g | 300 g | 600 g |
| Warm water | 90 ml | 180 ml | 360 ml |
| Instant yeast | 3 g | 5 g | 10 g |
| Grated akkawi | 75 g | 150 g | 300 g |
| Grated mozzarella | 50 g | 100 g | 200 g |
Baking manakish in the home oven lets you control the amount of oil and cheese compared with the store-bought ones. Cheese is a source of protein and calcium, but it is salty by nature, so the sodium in manakish is medium, and it helps to balance it by soaking the salty cheese before baking.
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