Manoushe Jebneh
Man’oushet JebnehA Lebanese cheese manoushe should be soft enough to fold, lightly colored underneath, and topped with cheese that is fully melted but not dried or heavily browned. This lesson teaches a home-oven method using mild, brined akkawi for its characteristic flavor and mozzarella-style cheese for elasticity. Careful desalting, restrained topping, and a short, hot bake are the essential controls.
Know what you are cooking
Cheese manoushe is a Pan-Lebanese bakery and home-breakfast preparation. Cheese choices and proportions vary by household and bakery: akkawi may be used alone or combined with a mild melting cheese. The blend taught here reflects widespread contemporary Lebanese practice while keeping akkawi as the defining flavor.
Serve hot for breakfast or brunch, commonly with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, mint, and tea. It may be served open and cut into wedges or folded while still warm.
- Prepare a supple, moderately hydrated manoushe dough.
- Desalt akkawi under refrigeration without washing away all of its character.
- Shape flatbreads with a slightly raised rim and an even center.
- Balance akkawi with mozzarella-style cheese for flavor and controlled melting.
- Recognize the brief baking window in which the bread is cooked but the cheese remains moist.
Ingredients
Digital kitchen scale · Large mixing bowl · Small covered container for soaking cheese · Fine-mesh sieve or colander · Clean kitchen towel · Bench scraper · Baking paper · 2 heavy baking trays or a baking steel or stone · Oven · Cheese grater · Oven gloves
Method
- 1
Desalt the akkawi
Place the grated or crumbled akkawi in a covered container with the cold potable water. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, changing the water once after 15 minutes if the cheese is strongly salted. Drain thoroughly, taste a small piece, and press gently in a clean towel to remove surface water. Continue with the dough while the cheese soaks.
Look, smell, feelThe cheese should remain pleasantly seasoned but should no longer taste sharply or overwhelmingly salty.SafetySoak cheese only under refrigeration at 4°C or colder. Use potable water and clean utensils; do not leave dairy at room temperature to desalt. - 2
Mix the dough
Combine the flour, instant yeast, and sugar. Add the lukewarm water and mix until no dry flour remains. Rest for 5 minutes, then add the salt and olive oil.
Look, smell, feelThe initial dough will look rough and slightly tacky, with no pockets of dry flour.SafetyWater should feel mildly warm, not hot. Keep raw flour and dough away from ready-to-eat foods, and wash hands and surfaces after handling. - 3
Knead until supple
Knead by hand for 6–8 minutes, folding and pressing until the dough is smooth and elastic. Avoid adding extra flour unless the dough remains unmanageably wet after several minutes; lightly oiling the hands is preferable.
Look, smell, feelThe dough should feel soft and lightly tacky rather than sticky, and a stretched piece should form a thin membrane before tearing.SafetyUse a stable, clean work surface and keep the dough scraper flat against the surface when gathering dough. - 4
Bulk ferment
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and leave in a draft-free place for 45 minutes. During this period, finish draining the akkawi and preheat the oven to its highest practical setting, ideally 250–270°C, with a steel, stone, or inverted heavy tray inside.
Look, smell, feelThe dough should look aerated and increase by roughly one-half to three-quarters; it need not fully double.SafetyUse an oven-safe baking surface and follow its manufacturer’s preheating limits. Keep towels and paper clear of heating elements. - 5
Divide and relax
Turn the dough onto a lightly oiled or barely floured surface. Divide into 4 equal pieces, approximately 130 g each. Round gently, cover, and rest for 15 minutes.
Look, smell, feelAfter resting, the dough portions should feel relaxed and should not spring back forcefully when pressed.SafetyKeep the portions covered and protected from contamination while they rest. - 6
Blend and portion the cheese
Combine the well-drained akkawi and mozzarella-style cheese. Divide into 4 portions of approximately 75 g each. If the mixture releases water when squeezed, blot it again before topping.
Look, smell, feelThe blend should feel loose and moist but not wet enough to drip or form a puddle.SafetyReturn cheese to refrigeration if shaping is delayed. Use pasteurized cheese where required or recommended by local health guidance. - 7
Shape and top
Working with one portion at a time, press and stretch the dough into a round approximately 20 cm wide. Keep the center thin and even, leaving a narrow, slightly thicker rim. Transfer to baking paper or a floured peel. Scatter one portion of cheese evenly, leaving about 1 cm of the rim exposed.
Look, smell, feelThe center should be about 3–4 mm thick without transparent spots or tears; the cheese should form an even single layer rather than mounds.SafetyDo not overload the dough, as excess moisture can cause sticking and dangerous spillage onto a hot oven surface. - 8
Bake briefly at high heat
Slide the flatbreads onto the fully heated surface. Bake in batches as needed for 5–7 minutes per batch, rotating only if the oven colors unevenly. Remove as soon as the base is set, the rim has pale golden patches, and the cheese is fully melted. Do not wait for deep browning.
Look, smell, feelThe rim should be puffed and tender, the underside lightly spotted, and the cheese glossy, bubbling gently, and still pale rather than crusted.SafetyUse dry oven gloves and beware of steam and hot cheese. Ensure the dough has no raw, gummy layer before serving.
Chef notes
- Akkawi varies considerably in salt content. Taste after the first soak rather than following a fixed number of water changes.
- Low-moisture mozzarella-style cheese is preferred over very wet fresh mozzarella, which can flood the dough.
- For a softer finish, stack the baked manoushe briefly under a clean towel; do not seal while steaming or the base may become soggy.
- A professional deck oven may bake the manoushe more quickly at a higher temperature. Judge by the base and cheese rather than by a fixed time.
- The defining finishing principle is restraint: the cheese should melt and barely bubble, not form a dry brown crust.
Common mistakes
- Using undrained akkawi, which makes the topping excessively salty or watery.
- Adding too much bench flour, producing a dense and dry flatbread.
- Failing to preheat the baking surface fully, leaving the center pale and gummy.
- Stretching the middle too thin, which allows cheese fat and moisture to break through.
- Applying a thick mound of cheese instead of an even layer.
- Baking until the cheese is deeply browned, which dries both the cheese and bread.
Practical substitutions
- If akkawi is unavailable, use a mild, pasteurized brined white cheese that melts without releasing excessive water; the flavor will differ, so season only after tasting.
- A mild mozzarella-style cheese may replace part of the akkawi, but using it alone produces a less characteristically Lebanese cheese profile.
- All-purpose flour can replace bread flour; begin with 185 ml water and add the remainder only as needed because absorption varies.
- For strict vegetarian service, verify that both cheeses are made with microbial or other vegetarian-suitable rennet.
Plan and store
Make ahead: After kneading, the dough may be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Reduce the yeast to 3 g for a long cold fermentation. Bring the divided dough to cool room temperature until relaxed before shaping. Desalt and drain the akkawi on the day of baking, keeping it refrigerated.
Storage: For best texture, eat immediately. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of baking, or within 1 hour when the ambient temperature exceeds 32°C, unless stricter local guidance applies. Store covered at 4°C or colder for up to 3 days. Do not reuse cheese-soaking water.
Reheating: Reheat on a tray in a 180°C oven for 4–6 minutes, loosely covered for the first few minutes to limit drying. Alternatively, warm in a covered dry skillet over low heat until the base is supple and the cheese is hot. Avoid prolonged microwaving, which can toughen the bread.
Plate and serve
Serve each manoushe whole, folded, or cut into wedges while the cheese is glossy and hot. Present with Lebanese breakfast accompaniments such as sliced tomato, cucumber, olives, fresh mint, and tea without placing wet vegetables on the bread before service.
From reading to mastery
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