Start by mixing the yeast and flour together, stir in the sugar and salt. Make a well in the middle and add ½ the water, yoghurt and olive oil, mix briefly together and then fold into the flour briefly, add enough water then to form a lovely soft dough.
Turn out onto your work surface and knead the dough for 4-5 minutes until tighter and smoother in appearance. Form into a dough ball and lay on an oiled baking sheet, cover and set aside to rise for about 30-50 minutes, until double in size.
For the toppings:
Mix together the Za’atar and the olive oil in a bowl and set aside. (if using)
Mix together the Akawi/mozzarella cheese and feta cheese and set aside.
Once the dough is ready, separate into 4 equal-sized balls (you can make 8 mini ones if you like). Using a floured rolling pin and a floured surface, flatten each dough ball to a very thin medium sized flatbread. The dough will rise slightly in the oven so it’s important to make them thin.
Transfer the dough rounds to a floured baking sheet. You may need to use 2-3 baking sheets to fit them all, or wait for some to bake then add the rest.
Spread the Za’atar mixture on the Man’Ouche and make sure to cover the entire surface, leaving a ¼ inch border. Or Spread the cheese mixture over the dough, leaving a ¼ inch border. Sprinkle with the nigella seeds and drizzle with oil.
Place the baking sheets in the oven on the bottom rack and bake for 12-15 minutes until the bottom is lightly golden. You can bake more than one sheet at one time, by placing one on the bottom rack and one on the middle rack. Once the bottom rack Man’Ouche are cooked, then switch the middle rack sheet pan to the bottom for a few more minutes until cooked through.
For the cheese Man’Ouche, you can grill the top for just a few minutes to lightly brown the cheese. Keep an eye when you’re doing this as it happens quickly. Remove the baked Man’Ouche and place on a platter and cover with a towel to keep them soft until serving
Serve them with fresh vegetables like tomato, cucumber, mint, and olives.
Dough
500g flour plus 2 more tablespoons
1 tablespoon sugar
1 level teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon fast action yeast
250ml warm water
1 rounded tablespoon Greek yoghurt
40ml olive oil
For the Cheese Topping:
340g fresh Akawi cheese or mozzarella
200g feta cheese
1 tablespoon nigella seeds
Olive oil to drizzle
For the Za’atar Topping:
15ml olive oil
1 tablespoon Za’atar