These easy Puff Pastry Rolls with Za'atar and Cheese come together so quickly! No need to make dough from scratch to have that authentic Manoushè taste and flavor. Puff Pastry is a quick and easy way to make a fun breakfast, appetizer or snack with little fuss. These rolls are filled with za'atar spice blend and cheese mozzarella - the perfect combination with flaky puff pastry dough.
Za'atar is spice blend that is commonly use in Middle Eastern cuisine. One of the most incredible street foods in Manoushè or Manakeesh, it's simply fresh dough topped with a za'atar oil mixture and cooked until perfectly set. Top with labneh and olives for the ultimate Lebanese breakfast.
There are some days when making dough and waiting for it to rise is just not in the cards. Enter Puff Pastry for the win - I mean Ina always says, if you can't make homemade, store bought is just fine!!!!! Puff Pastry is found in the freezer section and is so easy to work with. Simply allow to thaw for about 40 minutes then begin using it and bake quickly. It's such a great shortcut, especially when entertaining! The flavor is much more buttery than traditional dough as well as flakey rather than soft and chewy.
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What is Za'atar Bread?
Often times folks will call Manoushè, Za'atar bread. It's simply a yeasted dough - like pizza that is baked with a za'atar, oil mixture. This creates what many call za'atar bread, or Manoushè or Manakeesh in the Middle East. It's a common breakfast dish that is served with labneh, olives, tomatoes, fresh mint and cheese. These little za'atar rolls are a play on that classic and iconic bread.
Ingredients
- Puff Pastry Sheets - Puff pastry sheets are easily found in your freezer section. I am using Pepperidge Farms. You'll want to follow the thawing directions for whatever brand you are using - for these, 40 minutes on the counter is all it takes.
- Za'atar Spice Blend - Za'atar is a spice blend that contains a very specific wild thyme grown in the Middle East, sumac and toasted sesame seeds. There are hundreds of varieties of za'atar in the markets these days. If you have a Middle Eastern grocery store, I highly recommend buying from there - or just make sure it is a Middle Eastern variety. Flavors and tastes vary greatly, you can always season with additional salt and sumac to create a tangy mixture to your liking. This is great brand for both za'atar and sumac.
- Oil - I prefer to use a neutral oil when mixing my za'atar blends, it allows the za'atar to shine through. If you prefer olive oil, use a light olive oil. Other neutral oils include: canola, vegetable, avocado and grapeseed.
- Shredded Mozzarella - I love the addition of mozzarella cheese to these rolls, you can also use akkawi which is a common cheese in Arab cuisine. Feta would be another fun option but you wouldn't have the melt factor.
- Flour - flour for rolling
- Egg - Egg wash for topping
- Sesame Seeds - I love using extra sesame seeds on top of each roll, I typically use toasted but you can use raw and they'll toast up when baking.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Prepare your puff pastry by thawing according to package instructions. Once thawed, dust a work area with some flour and place your pastry sheet down.
Dust top with additional flour and roll until sheet is slightly wider and taller, about 10x13 or so. You can also patch any seam holes while doing this process by pressing down to fill.
In a small bowl, mix your za'atar and oil together. The mixture should resemble a paste, if it's too liquidy, add some additional za'atar, if it's too thick, some additional oil. This is a great time to taste your za'atar on it's own on a cracker or piece of bread. Add additional salt or sumac as needed.
Spread a few spoonfuls of your za'atar mixture on the bottom half of your puff pastry and spread into a thin layer.
Top with your shredded mozzarella.
Fold the top half over the za'atar cheese spread and press down gently to seal slightly.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut in half, then cut each side into thirds.
Take each strand and twist each end in opposite directions. Tuck ends underneath to create a little knot.
Place on parchment lined sheet pan and brush with egg wash, top with sesame seeds. Pop into the fridge for about 20 minutes while your oven preheats, then bake until golden brown about 20-22 minutes.
Top tip
Be sure to keep your puff pastry cold - a good tip is to pop these into the fridge or freezer before baking for 15-20 minutes to allow that butter in the pastry to solidify again and ensure crispy and flaky dough.
FAQ
You can certainly make traditional yeasted dough, like you would for pizza - you can follow the recipe for dough here and repeat the same steps once proofed and ready to use. Or purchase store bought dough and allow to rise. The texture will be different, not as flaky as puffed pastry but definitely delicious and more similar to traditional manoushè.
The beauty of puff pastry is that is comes frozen and the colder and firmer it is the flakier it becomes when baked. You can certainly assemble these entirely then freeze on a sheet pan. When ready to bake, pop in directly frozen - they may need an extra few minutes in the oven but they will be amazing. You can follow the same freezing process as these scones. It's a great time saver!
They are certainly best enjoyed immediately warm from the oven, but you can store them in a sealed container for a few days. Pop into a warm oven of 350 degrees and allow to warm and re-crisp. Or try to rebake in your air fryer!
Absolutely, experiment with whatever fillings you'd like from sweet to savory! Pesto and parmesan cheese would be incredible. A sweet nutella and jam would be another fun one. Such a simple way to create a little fun appetizer or breakfast with minimal effort.
I hope you enjoy these Easy Puff Pastry Rolls with Za'atar and Cheese as much my family does!
If you make this Easy Puff Pastry Rolls with Za'atar and Cheese recipe, please let me know by leaving a rating and review below!
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xoxo,
Cosette
Easy Puff Pastry Rolls with Za'atar and Cheese
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 rolls 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Description
Savory little pastry bites filled with za'atar spice blend and mozzarella cheese all baked in an easy puff pastry.
Ingredients
- 2 Puff Pastry sheets, thaw according to package directions
- ¾ cup za'atar spice blend
- ¼ cup neutral oil - canola, vegetable, avocado, grapeseed or light olive oil
- 1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella
- 1 egg + 1 Tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted or plain
Instructions
- Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Prepare your puff pastry by thawing according to package instructions. Once thawed, dust a work area with some flour and place one pastry sheet down. Dust top with additional flour and roll until sheet is slightly wider and taller, about 10x13 or so. You can also patch any seam holes while doing this process by pressing down to fill.
- Repeat process with second sheet, then keep in the fridge while working with the first.
- In a small bowl, mix your za'atar and oil together. The mixture should resemble a paste, if it is too liquidy, add some additional za'atar, if it's too thick, some additional oil. This is a great time to taste your za'atar on it's own on a cracker or piece of bread. Add additional salt or sumac as needed.
- ¾ cup za'atar spice blend
- ¼ cup neutral oil - canola, vegetable, avocado, grapeseed or light olive oil
- Spread a few spoonfuls of your za'atar mixture on the bottom half of your puff pastry and spread into a thin layer.
- Top with some shredded mozzarella.
- Fold the top half over the za'atar cheese spread and press down gently to seal slightly.
- Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut in half, then cut each side into thirds.
- Take each strand and twist each end in opposite directions. Tuck ends underneath to create a little knot. Place on parchment lined sheet pan and pop into fridge.
- Repeat with second piece of puff pastry.
- In a small bowl, whisk your egg and water to create an egg wash.
- 1 egg + 1 Tablespoon water
- Brush all your za'atar rolls with the egg wash and finally top with sesame seeds.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and allow rolls to hang in the fridge until ready to bake or oven comes to temperature.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown and puffed. Rotate trays halfway through baking.*
- Remove and enjoy while warm - dip in some labneh or Greek yogurt.
Notes
- It's best to keep your puff pastry in the fridge while working with one piece
- Pop your completed za'atar rolls into the fridge for 15-20 minutes before baking to ensure extra crispy and flaky dough.
- To freeze: You can certainly assemble these entirely then freeze on a sheet pan. When ready to bake, pop in directly frozen - they may need an extra few minutes in the oven but they will be amazing. You can follow the same freezing process as these scones. It's a great time saver!
Keywords: za'atar puff pastry rolls, za'atar puff pastry pinwheels, puff pastry manoushe, easy manoushe, za'atar bread, how to bake with za'atar, za'atar puff pastry twists,
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