My daughter Mimi went through a phase where she would only eat za’atar sandwiches for her school lunch. I used pita bread, buns, crackers and anything I could think of to deliver her favorite snack in a different way. This is how these croissants were born. It’s a soft bread dough filled with za’atar and rolled like a croissant. I still make a big batch and freeze extras for when her friends Tala, Gaby and Lana come to visit. They are a welcome treat for breakfast or as an afternoon snack.
MAKES: 48 croissants
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 cups flour
- 3 tbsp powdered milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp instant dry yeast
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2½ cups lukewarm water
- 1 cup za’atar (spice mix with dried thyme)
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a large bowl, put 4 cups of the flour, milk powder, salt, sugar and yeast and stir to combine. Add the 2 tbsp oil and water and whisk together. Mix well. Add the remaining flour but only enough to make the dough come together. On a floured surface knead for 5 minutes. Place the dough back in the bowl and brush with a little olive oil. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rise for 1½ hours until it doubles in size.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Mix the za’atar and the ¾ cup olive oil to make a paste. Set aside.
- Divide the dough into 6 portions. Roll out one portion on a floured surface to form an 8-inch circle. With a knife, cut 8 triangles of equal size (like cutting a pizza). Put a spoonful of the za’atar and oil mixture in the center of the large part of each triangle. Roll up away from you starting from the large side toward the pointed end of the triangle to make a croissant. Place on a baking sheet that has been lightly greased with vegetable oil. Brush each croissant with a little milk and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. Bake in the hot oven until lightly golden, approximately 15 minutes.
