Beyond Naples: Za’atar Flatbread, Kaak, and Shakshuka in a Wood-Fired Oven

 

Wood-fired ovens are usually associated with Naples and pizza, but the technique behind them is much older and much broader. Ovens like these have baked flatbreads across the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant for centuries. High heat, short bake times, and a hot stone floor suit these breads very well.

This guide covers three dishes that work especially well: za’atar flatbread, kaak, and shakshuka.

Why these dishes suit a wood-fired oven

Many Levantine breads are thin or lightly leavened. They bake quickly and benefit from intense heat that puffs the dough and leaves it soft inside with a lightly charred surface. A wood-fired oven provides that heat. A standard kitchen oven usually cannot match it.

1. Za’atar flatbread (Mediterranean flatbread)

Za’atar is a blend of dried thyme or similar herbs, sesame seeds, and sumac, typically mixed with olive oil and spread across the dough.

Basic approach:

1. Make or use a simple yeasted dough and let it rise until relaxed.
2. Stretch it into thin rounds.
3. Mix za’atar with olive oil to form a loose paste, then spread it across the surface.
4. Bake on the hot oven floor until the edges puff and brown.

Tips:

• Do not use too much oil, or the dough can turn greasy rather than crisp.
• Turn the flatbread once during the bake for even color.
• Serve it warm, on its own or with labneh, olives, or fresh vegetables.

The Zaatar Pizza (Mediterranean Flatbread) recipe covers one version in detail.

2. Kaak (sesame bread)

Kaak is a sesame-coated bread found across the Levant. It appears in different shapes and styles depending on the region, from a long ring-shaped loaf associated with Jerusalem to a lighter version sold in Lebanon.

Basic approach:

1. Prepare a soft, slightly enriched dough.
2. Shape it into a ring or oval.
3. Brush or dip the surface so sesame seeds stick evenly.
4. Bake at a moderately high heat until golden.

Tips:

• Baking it slightly later in the heat cycle, after the peak has passed, helps the bread cook through without the seeds burning.
• Let the loaves cool a little before cutting so the crumb sets.
• Kaak is often eaten with za’atar, eggs, or cheese.

For regional variations, see the Kaak El Kudus and Lebanese Kaak recipes.

3. Shakshuka

Shakshuka is eggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce. It is a baked dish rather than a bread, but it pairs naturally with the flatbreads above.

Basic approach:

1. Cook onions, peppers, garlic, and spices in a cast iron pan.
2. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer until the sauce thickens.
3. Make small wells and crack in the eggs.
4. Place the pan in the oven until the whites set and the yolks reach the desired doneness.

Tips:

• Use a pan that can handle direct oven heat.
• Pull the pan out while the yolks still look slightly underdone, since they keep cooking from residual heat.
• Serve with warm flatbread for scooping.

See the Wood Oven Baked Shakshuka recipe for a full walkthrough.

Building a full spread

These dishes work well together. A practical order:

1. Bake the za’atar flatbreads first while the oven is hottest.
2. Move on to the shakshuka as the heat settles.
3. Finish with kaak once the temperature has dropped to a gentler range.

Common mistakes

• Too much heat for enriched doughs: Breads with sesame or added fat can scorch at peak temperatures.
• Overloading with toppings: Thin flatbreads cannot support heavy toppings.
• Skipping the rest period: Dough that is rushed will not stretch well or puff evenly.
• Using a pan that cannot handle the heat: Check that cookware is rated for direct oven use.

Frequently asked questions

Can these recipes be made in a regular oven?
Yes, though results differ. A home oven with a baking stone or steel and the highest setting gets reasonably close, but it will not reproduce the blistered finish of a wood-fired oven.

What kind of wood is best?
Dry hardwood is generally preferred because it burns cleanly and holds heat well.

Do these dishes need the oven at pizza temperature?
Not usually. Flatbread can handle high heat, but kaak and shakshuka do better at moderate temperatures later in the heat cycle.

Final thoughts

Wood-fired cooking has a much wider repertoire than pizza. Breads and baked dishes from the Levant make good use of the same heat and are a useful way to get more out of a single firing.