🧀 Cheese manakish
Manakish bi jibneh is a round of bread dough topped with Akkawi, a mild white brined cheese, sprinkled with nigella seeds and baked until the cheese melts and bubbles. It has a soft crust, a stretchy, slightly salty topping and a peppery note from the nigella. It is a popular breakfast and snack in Levantine bakeries, eaten hot and folded.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g bread dough (flour, water, yeast, salt)
- 300 g Akkawi cheese, soaked and grated
- 1 tsp nigella seeds
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Method
- Soak the cheese in cold water for 1–2 hours, changing the water once, then drain and grate.
- Divide the risen dough into 4 balls and press each into a 20 cm round.
- Brush with olive oil, spread the cheese and sprinkle with nigella seeds.
- Bake at 250 °C for 8–10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges are golden.
How to make it lighter
- Use a thinner layer of cheese — it is the richest part of the topping.
- Add sliced tomato or peppers to the topping for volume.
- Pair one manousheh with a salad instead of eating two.
History
Cheese manakish is one of the standard toppings of the Levantine bakery, alongside za'atar. Akkawi cheese takes its name from the city of Acre (Akka), and it is usually soaked first to reduce its saltiness.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →