Before cooking them, rub za’atar (or a za’atar/olive oil paste) onto burgers, chicken, or other meats. As a child, I often ate bread, olive oil, and za'atar alongside a breakfast of fresh vegetables, fried eggs, and goat cheese. Stir into olive oil and pile onto crusty bread or sprinkle on eggs, tuck into a Lebanese style pizza or use as dry rub on chicken or vegetables. Spread it onto toasted bread. Place the tomatoes and olives. Spread on a fresh and thick pita. This spice blend can be used in a lot of different ways—­sprinkled over meat or fish or mixed with olive oil for dipping bread. Don’t use other than olive oil. The bread and oil act as the perfect delivery vessel for the spice, both absorbing the aroma of the za'atar so that its bright, warming yet zippy flavor is front and center. A delicious pita bread from Lebanon – Zaatar bread or the Zaktar bread topped with the zaatar spice mix. As a topping for bread. Traditional Lebanese Za'atar bread (aka manaqish, manakeesh, or manakish) is an incredibly tasty Middle Eastern flatbread made with toasty za'atar seasoning of roasted thyme, oregano, sesame and sumac. Boost it further with cheese, tomato, cucumbers and/or avocado. I’ve shared how much more likely I am to eat breakfast when it’s a meze style – I just love being able to sample from a spread of olives, cheese, fresh vegetables, bread. This za’atar-infused oil is known as zeit ou za’atar (with ‘zeit’ meaning ‘oil’ in Arabic). Za’atar: the superstar. Za’atar serves the same role with warm pita bread. Za'atar can be added before cooking on meatballs, kabobs, and roasted vegetables. To make this za’atar recipe, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. It consists of a blend of thyme, oregano, sesame seeds, marjoram and sumac. How to Use Za’atar Oil Spread this over store-bought or homemade pizza dough instead of tomato sauce and bake as you would,or spoon it over roasted chicken or other mezze such as butter bean mash. Just one of its most classic utilizes is sprinkled over labneh, a Lebanese strained yogurt, making a robust dip for pita bread. Yoghurt, labneh, ricotta.. all kinds of cream cheese to make a dip for the types of bread mentioned above, or crudités. Za’atar is a very versatile spice blend. One of the most traditional ways to use za’atar is on flatbreads like pita or manakish. Adding a pinch or two of zaatar to any vegetable based soup will highlight all of those gorgeous natural flavours. Rub the chicken with the za’atar paste and marinate for at least 2 hours. A high quality olive oil punches up the spice blend a notch, adding a savory flavor that translates well for dishes like: Learn how to make this yeast-based Middle Easter … Sprinkle the za'atar, to cover the entire surface of the focaccia dough. It is versatile and can be used in a range of preparations; however, you will need to follow a few guidelines to get the best results. Luckily, I’m not the first to fall in love with this Middle Eastern spice, so it isn’t hard to find tons of great recipes that use za’atar in … One of its most traditional uses is sprinkled over labneh, a Lebanese strained yogurt, creating a robust dip for pita bread. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise again for 20-30 minutes. You can stir some of the spice blend together with some olive oil. Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend that is often combined with olive oil and served as a dip or spread for pita bread. What Is Za'atar. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix the za’atar, garlic, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and a few rounds of freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. This savory rustic tart is baked with olive oil, fresh lemon juice and an incredible spice blend of roasted Mediterranean herbs. Mix some za’atar with olive oil. It satisfies roasted vegetables and compliments pizza. Read on below to learn how to get the most benefits from za’atar. Dreams of warm bread topped with za’atar can be a reality at home and not just in your neighborhood Middle Eastern restaurant. Transfer to airtight container and store in cool, dark place. Toast the pita with za'atar for approximately 6 to 8 minutes or until just lightly browned. This za'atar bread recipe starts with homemade flatbreads, which are coated with olive oil and liberally sprinkled with za'atar before baking. This is ideal if you are going to be using your za’atar immediately to flavor a dish, think as a glaze for grilled chicken or veggies, which brings us right to the next point. How to make Za’atar Pizza. This Middle Eastern za'atar spice is made from sumac, toasted sesame seeds, thyme and flaky sea salt for a nutty, floral flavor. It is used to add flavor to meat and vegetables, as an herbal infusion for olive oil, and as a marinade for olives. Zaatar in soup. Use it like a dry rub for protein. Tips: I personally prefer smaller pieces of thyme in my za’atar so I crush it before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients. Za'atar spice blend goes with everything from popcorn to chicken. I was first introduced to za’atar while researching homemade hummus recipes about two years ago—so it’s pretty new to me, too. You can brush oil over the top of a pieces of flatbread and sprinkle za’atar over the top or mix the oil and spice together and dip torn up bread pieces in the mixture. Za'atar (pronounced Zaah-tar) is most identified with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking. Za'atar is used in various dishes and meals preparation. My mom would spread zeit ou za'atar on dough before baking for manakish, a Middle Eastern pizza recipe. This recipe is inspired by mana’eesh, a round Arabic flatbread covered with a thick coating of za’atar and olive oil. It suits roasted vegetables and compliments pizza. You can use za’atar to top bread in one of two ways: you can brush the dough with oil and sprinkle on the za’atar before baking it, or you can add the za’atar at the table. Make za’atar toast: Mix za’atar with olive oil to form a paste. How to Use Za’atar. You can also spread the Zaatar paste on pita bread and toast it in the oven. Put the pan in the oven and let it bake until the top is golden brown (about 20-30 minutes). I veered from tradition and layered the mix of sesame seeds, sumac and dried herbs between thin sheets of dough instead. No time to make the flatbreads? Bake in the oven at 360F/180C for about 10 minutes. The bread and oil act as the perfect delivery vessel for the spice, both absorbing the aroma of the za’atar so that its … Other Foods & Flavors to Pair with Za’atar Sprinkle Homemade Flatbread with Za’atar. The most common way to enjoy za’atar is with a little bread and olive oil.