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Bread & Savory Pastry

Palestinian Za’atar Mutabbaq

Category
Bread & Savory Pastry
Prep time
1 hour 15 minutes
Cook time
20–30 minutes
Total time
1 hour 45 minutes
Servings
6 flatbreads
Difficulty
Moderate

Palestinian Za’atar Mutabbaq is a soft, layered flatbread filled with fresh green za’atar, onions, sumac, and plenty of Palestinian extra virgin olive oil.

From our kitchen

Instructions

1. Activate the yeast

Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Leave for several minutes until the yeast becomes active and foamy.

2. Make the dough

Gradually add the flour, followed by the salt. It can be helpful to hold back about ½ cup of the flour initially and add it only as needed while kneading.

Add the ½ cup of olive oil and begin working it into the dough. At first, the oil may seem difficult to incorporate, but continue kneading until the dough absorbs it completely.

Knead for at least 10 minutes, adding the reserved flour as needed, until you have a smooth, soft, and supple dough.

3. Let the dough rest

Cover the dough and leave it in a warm place for 30 minutes.

While it rests, prepare the fillings.

4. Prepare the fillings

For the classic filling, combine the fresh za’atar, chopped onions, sumac, salt, black pepper, and approximately ¼ cup olive oil. Add a little more olive oil if needed.

For the cheese filling, combine fresh za’atar with the pre-soaked Nabulsi cheese and olive oil.

5. Divide the dough

Divide the rested dough into 6 equal balls.

Coat each ball generously with olive oil and arrange them on an oiled tray. Let them rest for another 15 minutes.

6. Fill and fold

Working with one piece at a time, gently stretch the dough into a thin circle.

Add your chosen filling and fold the dough over itself to create the traditional layered Mutabbaq shape.

Once shaped, allow the flatbreads to rest for another 10 minutes.

7. Bake

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 390°F.

Gently flatten each Mutabbaq onto an oven tray.

Bake until the underside is cooked and lightly golden, then finish under the upper heat or broiler until the top develops a beautiful golden color.

8. Rest and serve

As soon as the Mutabbaq comes out of the oven, stack the breads on top of one another and cover them immediately. This helps keep them soft.

Cut into pieces and serve warm.

Rooted in Palestine

The Story

Za’atar Mutabbaq is a traditional Palestinian flatbread built around ingredients deeply connected to the Palestinian kitchen: fresh green za’atar, sumac, onions, olive oil, and, in one variation, Nabulsi cheese.

The dough is stretched thin, generously dressed with olive oil, filled, folded, and baked until golden. The classic version brings together the freshness of green za’atar with onions and tangy sumac, while the Nabulsi cheese variation adds the distinctive salty flavor of one of Palestine’s best-known cheeses.

It is simple Palestinian cooking at its best — ingredients from the land transformed into something meant to be stacked, cut, shared, and eaten together.

Cook's Notes

  • Fresh za’atar is important here. This recipe uses fresh green za’atar leaves, not the dried za’atar spice blend commonly used for dipping.
  • Don't rush the kneading. Give the dough at least 10 minutes to become smooth, soft, and elastic.
  • The olive oil may initially seem difficult to incorporate into the dough. Keep kneading; the dough will absorb it.
  • Keep your hands and work surface lightly coated with olive oil when shaping the dough.
  • If using Nabulsi cheese, soak it beforehand to reduce its characteristic saltiness. The original recipe recommends soaking it the day before.
  • After baking, stack and cover the Mutabbaq immediately to help retain its softness.
  • The exact amount of fresh za’atar and Nabulsi cheese was not specified in the original recipe, so add enough to create a generous but manageable filling.