Man'ousheh bil Jibneh

A Lebanese cheese flatbread — thin dough topped with a blend of Akkawi cheese and nigella seeds, baked until the edges crisp and the cheese melts into salty, stretchy pools. The savory companion to man'ousheh bil zaatar.

Ingredients

• 400 g All-purpose flour
• 5 g Active dry yeast
• 240 ml Warm water
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 300 g, desalted Akkawi cheese
• 150 g White cheese (jibneh baydeh)
• 2 tsp Nigella seeds (habbet il baraka)
• 1 tbsp (for topping) Olive oil

Method

1. Make the dough: dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water for 10 minutes. Combine with flour, salt, and olive oil. Knead 8 minutes until smooth. Cover and rise 1 hour.
2. Soak the Akkawi in cold water for 2–4 hours. Change the water at least twice. Taste — it should be mildly salty, not harsh.
3. Pat the Akkawi dry and grate it coarsely. Mix with the grated white cheese and the nigella seeds. Add the olive oil and mix well.
4. Preheat oven to 250°C with baking stone or heavy sheet inside.
5. Divide dough into 6 balls. On a floured surface, roll each into a thin round (20–22cm).
6. Distribute the cheese mixture evenly over each round, leaving a 1cm border.
7. Bake on the preheated stone for 5–7 minutes until the edges are golden and the cheese is bubbling and lightly golden.
8. Remove and eat immediately — cheese man'ousheh is at its best within minutes of the oven.

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