Cheese flatbreads with sesame seeds

Cheese flatbreads are a perfect snack and a delicious addition to almost any soup or main course. These savory pastries are filling, nutritious, and provide the body with the energy it needs for an active and healthy lifestyle.

In their homeland — Lebanon — these flatbreads are known as Manaish and are traditionally prepared with plenty of dried and fresh herbs and spices. A more universal homemade version uses yeast dough and is topped with white or black sesame seeds, giving the flatbreads an appetizing appearance and a pleasantly crunchy texture.

Sesame seeds are naturally rich in calcium and potassium — essential minerals that support healthy bones and cartilage. They also contain valuable fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6, along with sesamol, a unique biologically active compound known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and anti-aging properties.

CraftOil offers fresh, eco-friendly black and white sesame seeds stored under optimal conditions and supplied with quality certification. These seeds are free from agricultural pesticides and preservatives, helping preserve their natural vitamin and mineral composition. They are 100% natural products with exceptional nutritional value.

Ingredients

To prepare these simple yet hearty and flavorful cheese flatbreads, you will need:

• 1½ cups flour (preferably sifted);
• 1 tsp dry yeast;
• 1 pinch salt;
• 1 pinch sugar;
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil;
• ¼ cup milk or water;
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds;
• 50 g hard or semi-hard cheese;

Step-by-step instructions

Warm the milk or water to room temperature. Add salt, sugar, and yeast, stir well, and leave for 5–7 minutes. Grate or finely chop the cheese.

If desired, lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan without oil. Add vegetable oil to the activated yeast mixture. Gradually add flour and cheese while mixing continuously. Knead until the dough becomes moderately firm, elastic and free of lumps.

Form the dough into small balls and roll each one into a flat circle no thicker than 1 cm. Place the flatbreads on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and lightly greased with vegetable oil.

Pierce each flatbread several times with a fork and sprinkle generously with sesame seeds. Bake for 30–35 minutes at 180°C (356°F). Serve after slightly cooling.

Notes:

You can use corn, sunflower, sesame, or camelina oil in the dough. In addition to sesame seeds, the flatbreads can also be topped with raw pumpkin seeds, white amaranth, black cumin (kalonji), and flax seeds.

A wide selection of cold-pressed vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, spices and seasonings is available at the Ukrainian online store of organic and 100% natural craft products — CraftOil.