How to Make Kishik Manoushe (Lebanese Kishk Manakish)

Kishk is one of the oldest foods in the Lebanese pantry. At the end of summer, bulgur is mixed with yogurt or laban, left to ferment for several days, then spread on rooftops to dry in the sun before being rubbed into a fine, cream-coloured powder. Stored through the winter, it becomes a thick breakfast soup, a filling for pastries, and the topping for kishik manoushe, a flatbread with a sour, savoury, slightly cheesy flavour. You will find it in every bakery (furn) in the Bekaa and the mountains, next to za’atar and cheese manakish.

The topping is simple: kishk powder mixed into a paste with grated tomato, onion, a little pepper paste and plenty of olive oil. The dough is the same one used for all Lebanese manakish.

Ingredients

For the dough

• 500 g (4 cups) all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
• 7 g (2¼ teaspoons, 1 packet) instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
• About 300 ml (1¼ cups) lukewarm water

For the kishk topping

• 100 g (1 cup) kishk powder
• 1 medium ripe tomato, grated, skin discarded
• 1 small onion, grated
• 1 tablespoon red pepper paste (dibs flayfleh) or tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
• 120 ml (½ cup) olive oil
• 2 to 4 tablespoons water, as needed

Instructions

1. Make the dough: mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and most of the water and mix, adding the rest of the water little by little, until a soft dough forms.
2. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes by hand (or 5 minutes in a mixer) until smooth and elastic. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 to 1½ hours, until doubled in size.
3. Make the topping: in a bowl, mix the kishk, grated tomato, onion, pepper paste, sesame seeds and olive oil. Add water a spoonful at a time until you have a thick, spreadable paste, like peanut butter. Leave it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes so the kishk absorbs the liquid. Taste it; kishk is already salted, so you rarely need more salt.
4. Put a heavy baking sheet, upside down, or a pizza stone on the middle rack and heat the oven to its highest setting, 250 to 260°C (480 to 500°F), for at least 30 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into 6 balls, cover and rest for 10 minutes.
6. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a round about 20 cm (8 inches) wide and 5 mm (¼ inch) thick. Lay it on a floured piece of baking paper.
7. Press your fingertips all over the dough to make small dimples, leaving a 1 cm (½ inch) border. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the kishk paste evenly over each round.
8. Slide the paper and dough onto the hot tray and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the edges are golden, the base is browned in spots and the topping is bubbling. Bake one or two at a time.
9. Brush the edges with a little olive oil and serve hot.

Tips for the best kishik manoushe

• A very hot oven and a preheated tray give the soft, blistered base of a Lebanese furn.
• Do not spread the paste too thick; a layer about 3 mm (⅛ inch) deep bakes through without drying out.
• Kishk varies by village and brand. Some are sharper, some saltier; adjust the tomato and oil to balance it.
• Letting the paste rest is what makes it smooth.

Variations

• Kishk with walnuts: scatter chopped walnuts over the paste before baking, as in parts of the Bekaa.
• Half and half: spread one side with kishk and the other with za’atar and oil.
• Spicy kishk: add finely chopped green chili or a pinch of Aleppo pepper to the topping.

How to serve and store

Roll it up and eat it hot with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, mint and olives, and a glass of tea. Leftover manakish keep wrapped at room temperature for a day, or frozen for a month; reheat in a hot oven for 3 to 4 minutes. The kishk paste keeps in a jar in the fridge for a week, topped with oil.

Real kishk is still made by Lebanese mills and village producers. Try Al Najjar Modern Mills in the Bekaa, which has made kishk since 1944, or Soul of Agrifood near Baalbek.

Frequently Asked Questions