Name: Arabic Dough Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon powdered milk (optional for softness); 1 tablespoon sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons instant yeast; 2 tablespoons plain yogurt; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cup warm water (plus more as needed)

Description

This traditional Arabic dough recipe is perfect for making a variety of Middle Eastern breads such as manakish, fatayer, and sfiha. Soft, elastic, and easy to prepare, it incorporates simple ingredients like flour, yogurt, and olive oil, resulting in a versatile dough that rises beautifully and bakes into delightful flatbreads. Optional powdered milk adds extra softness. Ideal for home cooks seeking authentic, fresh Middle Eastern bread dough.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon powdered milk (optional for softness)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons instant yeast

Wet Ingredients

2 tablespoons plain yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup warm water (plus more as needed)

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Instructions

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, powdered milk (if using), sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Stir well to evenly distribute all the dry ingredients.
Add Wet Ingredients and Knead: Add the plain yogurt and olive oil to the dry mix, then gradually pour in the warm water. Mix with your hand or use a dough hook attachment on a stand mixer. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky to the touch but not sticky.
First Rise: Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
Prepare for Use: After rising, gently punch down the dough to release built-up air. The dough is now ready to be portioned and rolled out for various Middle Eastern breads such as manakish, fatayer, or sfiha.

Notes

The dough can be frozen in portions after the first rise; thaw and bring to room temperature before using.
For extra softness, replace half the warm water with warm milk.
If dough feels too dry during mixing, add a little more warm water, one tablespoon at a time.
Allow the dough to rest covered for 10 minutes after kneading to relax the gluten before shaping.
Use a stand mixer with a dough hook for easier kneading if preferred.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Dough
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: Middle Eastern