Za’atar is the Arabic word for ‘wild thyme’, and also for a herby seasoning mix made of dried thyme, sour red sumac and sesame seeds. In Lebanon, this mix is perhaps most commonly combined with olive oil to make a paste, and brushed onto the pizza-style flatbreads called manoushi, which are turned out in their thousands by bakeries, big and small, every morning. If you’ve travelled in Lebanon, you’ll know only too well that it is impossible to walk past one of these bakeries without stopping to buy a manoushi; not surprisingly, they are the most popular snack food in the country.
Za’atar makes a wonderfully effective addition to our favourite little cheese biscuits. They keep quite well in a sealed container, not that they’re likely to last long.