Description
This Arabic Dough recipe is a soft and slightly sticky dough perfect as a base for traditional Middle Eastern pastries like manakish and fatayer. Made with simple ingredients including flour, yeast, yogurt, and vegetable oil, it yields a tender, elastic dough that is easy to prepare and can be stored for later use.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ¾ to 1 cup warm milk (as needed)
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt. Mix well to evenly distribute all dry components.
- Add wet ingredients gradually: Add the yogurt and vegetable oil to the dry mixture. Gradually pour in the warm milk while mixing until a soft and slightly sticky dough forms. Adjust milk quantity as needed for consistency.
- Knead the dough: Knead the dough for about 8–10 minutes by hand or 5 minutes using a stand mixer until the dough becomes smooth and elastic, which helps develop gluten for a good texture.
- Let dough rise: Cover the dough with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and place it in a warm area. Allow it to rest for 1 hour or until it doubles in size. This fermentation process activates the yeast.
- Punch down and use: After rising, gently punch down the dough to release air and it’s now ready to be shaped for manakish, fatayer, or other savory pastries.
Notes
- You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring it to room temperature before using to re-activate the yeast.
- For extra softness and flavor, brush the dough with olive oil before baking your pastries.
