Za'atar bread and za'atar croissant

by Max Shrem (Subscribe to Max Shrem's posts)
Posted Jun 16th 2008 11:31AM
Filed under: Raves & Reviews, Middle East, Bread

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While in Dubai, I tried a lot of foods with za'atar, a spice mix containing the herb za'atar, dried oregano, thyme, marjoram, and a combination of sesame seeds and salt. My favorite dish for breakfast was za'atar bread and za'atar croissants. They're crispy, sweet, flaky, salty, and zesty. In the Middle East, za'atar bread is often eaten in the morning, because the spice blend is supposed to make your mind more alert.

I highly recommend za'atar bread and za'atar croissants for their unique pungent spicy flavors. A great way to balance out the saltiness is to dip them in labneh, a yogurt that's been drained to form a thick tangy cheese. Next time you're in a Middle Eatern restaurant, make sure you ask for these piquant pastries.

Tags: dubai, middle eastern, MiddleEastern, spice mix, SpiceMix, zaatar, zaatar bread, zaatar croissants, ZaatarBread, ZaatarCroissants

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6-16-2008 @ 2:03PM

Meg said...

My parents recently brought me back a bag of za'atar from Israel. Do you have any other suggestions for use of this amazing smelling blend? I thought about a rub for grilled chicken and pork, but I didn't know if there were more intended uses for this blend.

6-16-2008 @ 2:32PM

Dylan said...

Well, I am from Syria and I was in Dubai with my fathers family. In the morning they have za'atar. The put a little bowl of olive oil out and a little bowl of za'atar. You take little pieces of pita and dip it in the oil and than you dip it in the za'atar. It can be like a snack too.

6-16-2008 @ 3:04PM

Elysa said...

I use it in tabbouleh, and on fish, and mixed with olive oil as a dip, and on potatoes, and I'm sure you can find other uses like these!

6-17-2008 @ 6:53PM

badfrog101 said...

Za'atar is simply dried sumac berries. My Syrian-American friends grow their own on their farm.

7-27-2008 @ 12:53PM

Yazmeen said...

Zahtar spice is wonderful sprinkled as a finish on salads, added to labneh (yogurt cheese)along with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. It is used for many middle eastern dishes when you want a tangy, somewhat textural & salty finish. There are two varieties, the green and the red. I prefer the green, which is favored by Aleppo's cooks.

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