My Family Manaeesh -- Arabic/Islamic Cheese Spread for Bread

ElizabethAuthorAKAHajar's Note:

Many food writers credit this as being a food of Lebanon and it is made in Lebanon. However, the original idea is Arabic/Islamic and is found in the Hebrew world as well. This has been made for centuries with little change to the original idea and is used in all of the Arabic/Islamic world. No matter the history it is yummy and makes a perfect mezze! Use a ricotta or dry curd cottage cheese for best results. This is also a Ramadan food for much of the Middle East and Morocco and is best/traditionally baked into the top of breads. c.\2005

• Total Time: 25 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 1 ½ cups white cheese (crumbled)
• 2 garlic cloves , crushed with
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼-½ teaspoon ground thyme
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or ½ cup browned pine nuts
• ¼ cup olive oil

Directions:

1. Combine all ingerdients and let sit 2-4 hours for flavor to develop.
2. This can be made and spread on bread as is though is most commonly and traditionally placed onto the surface of a pita-type dough and pushed into the surface before baking. PLEASE DO NOT use feta cheese. It is not used and is far too salty for this.
3. In Morocco we do not see pita breas so we use a bread like "MY ROUGH KHOUBZ" which is posted here on zaar.
4. The thyme is used in some countries in up to 2 teaspoons It depends on your own tolerance for it and I like it as a forward flavor but not to overpower.
5. You can use stor bought pita bread and place the cheese onto the top of that, pushing slightly so it stays on and bake in a 375 degree oven until hot, approximately 8-10 minutes.
6. This makes approximately 2 cups of cheese mix.

Reviews

[Dee84]

I have been eating these ever since i can remember. we used to make 3 kinds. one with white arabic cheese, ones with zatar, and then also some with eggs! yum so good! reminded me of my childhood!