Yotam Ottolenghi’s Lebanese-Inspired Recipes: Shish Barak and Manakish

Acclaimed chef Yotam Ottolenghi shares his Lebanese-inspired recipes, including Shish Barak (lamb-stuffed pastries) and Manakish (Levantine flatbreads).

Shish Barak

Ingredients for Dough:

  • 180g plain flour
  • 1½ tsp sugar
  • Salt
  • 40ml olive oil
  • 80ml milk

Ingredients for Filling:

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 finely chopped onion
  • 30g pine nuts
  • 3 crushed garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp Lebanese seven-spice
  • 250g lamb mince
  • 10g chopped parsley
  • 10g chopped mint

Ingredients for Yoghurt Sauce:

  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 400g plain yoghurt

Ingredients for Pine Nut Oil:

  • 60g pine nuts
  • 120ml olive oil
  • 1 tsp chili flakes
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the dough by mixing flour, sugar, salt, olive oil, and milk. Knead into a smooth dough and set aside.
  2. Cook onion, pine nuts, garlic, and spices until soft. Once cooled, mix with lamb, parsley, and mint.
  3. Roll dough into circles, fill with lamb mixture, and shape into tortellini.
  4. Bake at 200°C for 20-25 minutes.
  5. For yoghurt sauce, mix cornflour with water and yoghurt, warm gently.
  6. Prepare pine nut oil by toasting pine nuts, then mix with olive oil, chili flakes, and smoked paprika.
  7. Serve pastries with yoghurt sauce and pine nut oil.

Manakish

Ingredients for Labneh:

  • Sea salt
  • 400g Greek yoghurt (or 300g labneh)

Ingredients for Breads:

  • 2 tsp dried yeast
  • ¼ tsp sugar
  • 500g bread flour
  • 110ml olive oil
  • 15g za’atar

Instructions:

  1. Make labneh by draining salted yoghurt in cheesecloth for 24-36 hours.
  2. Prepare bread dough with yeast, sugar, flour, and olive oil. Let rise for an hour.
  3. Divide dough into 12 pieces, shape into circles, and top with labneh.
  4. Spread za’atar mixed with olive oil on breads, season with salt, and bake at 220°C for 11-12 minutes.

These dishes reflect the rich flavors and communal spirit of Lebanese cuisine.