The spice blend called za’atar is a signature flavor of the eastern Mediterranean. It’s wonderful on fish, chicken, vegetables, or just with bread and oil. It was all over the best meal I had when I traveled to Israel, but I had no idea what to call the flavor then.
from Wiki:
Za'atar[1] (Arabic: زَعْتَر, IPA: [ˈzaʕtar]) is an herb or family of herbs, as well as a spice mixture typically used as a condiment, containing the herb along with toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and often salt, as well as other spices.[2] As a family of related Middle Eastern herbs, it contains plants from the genera Origanum (oregano), Calamintha (basil thyme), Thymus (typically Thymus vulgaris, i.e., thyme), and Satureja (savory).[3] The name za'atar alone most properly applies to Origanum syriacum, considered in biblical scholarship to be the hyssop (Hebrew: אזוב [eˈzov]) of the Hebrew Bible.[4
The Mediterranean Dish will tell you lots of other things about this distinctive spice and how to cook with it; the recipe below is one of their examples. You can also buy za’atar and other seasonings from them, but this time I ordered from Penzey’s.
They will also tell you to read the label carefully if you aren’t buying from them, and they are right.
Sumac is described as “a subtle lemony and earthy flavor”; cheaper za’atar blends substitute the unsubtle bitterness of citric acid. The only za’atar I found locally was like this, though not unpleasant it isn’t as tasty. |
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When I bought it I didn’t understand the labeling as “green za’atar”, now I see that’s code for “without sumac”, since the sumac makes it noticeably red. |
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Bread with za’atar is a popular appetizer, maybe warm bread with olive oil and za’atar for dipping or maybe bread baked with the oil and za’atar.
Za’atar Manaqish
from The Mediterranean Dish — serves 8
For Dough
- 1 cup lukewarm water (110°F)
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (one package active dry yeast)
- 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
For Topping
- 7 to 8 tablespoons quality Za’atar spice
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
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This dough isn’t difficult to make, but buying premade pizza dough is even easier. |
- In a small bowl, combine water, sugar and yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes to foam.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and olive oil. Work the mixture with your hands. Make a well in the middle and pour in the yeast and water mixture. Stir until soft dough forms.
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until dough is elastic, smooth, and no longer sticky, adding a little more flour if needed. Form dough into a ball and place in a lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover with damp cloth and place in a warm spot (inside a warmed but turned-off oven is a good place). Leave to rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Punch dough down. Knead briefly and form into 8 small balls. Arrange on lightly floured surface, cover again and leave to rise another 30 minutes.
- While dough is rising, mix together the za’atar spice and olive oil in a bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Place a large baking sheet in oven while heating.
- Lightly oil the heated baking sheet. Flatten the dough into small discs about 5 inches in diameter. With your finger tips, make indentations in discs and add about 1 tablespoon topping in the middle of each disc, leave a narrow border around. Arrange discs in prepared oiled baking sheet (use two sheets if needed, do not crowd the manaqish).
- Bake in 400° F oven for 7 to 8 minutes or until the dough is slightly browned on bottom and edges. The topping will still be liquidy at this point; after a few minutes of cooling the topping will dry and settle into dough.
- Serve za’atar manaqish warm or at room temperature. Traditional accompaniments include assorted vegetables, olives, feta cheese, or homemade labneh. The manaqish can be frozen for later use; warm them in a moderate oven.
I didn’t exactly get these round, but they tasted good. The link above has pictures of how they should look.
I’m making dinner for my friend Joan, corvina “sea bass” and vegetables and rice. I serve her a lot of broiled fish so I think this time I’ll bake it with wine and garlic (and probably za’atar instead of the suggested Italian seasoning!)
Joan gave me a cookbook for Christmas: Anthony Bourdain’s “Appetites” (2016). This is not your mother’s cookbook. Lots of people can write unrealistic French-chef recipes that I can’t get the ingredients for; no one but Bourdain could intro them with “If you don’t fuck this up it will impress the shit out of your guests.”
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