levantine · breakfast
Levantine platter with akawi, zaatar and fresh figs
A summer Lebanese-Syrian breakfast or light lunch: aged akawi cheese in olive-oil-and-zaatar dressing, black olives, fresh halved figs, sourdough whole bread. Eaten cold, no cooking. The figs balance the saltiness of cheese and olives, the zaatar oil binds everything. Five minutes, palette-pure, perfect for hot mornings.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- easy
Steps
- 01
Prepare the akawi-zaatar dressing
2 minCube the akawi into one-centimetre cubes. In a small bowl, mix two tablespoons of olive oil with the zaatar (or dried thyme). Add the cheese cubes, toss gently to coat. Let marinate three minutes while you prepare the rest.
- 02
Halve the figs and arrange the platter
3 minHalve the fresh figs lengthwise. Toast the sourdough lightly. Arrange on a wide platter: the marinated cheese in the centre, the olives in a small bowl, the halved figs cut-side up around, sourdough slices on the side. Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the figs. Serve immediately, unhurried, with hot mint tea on the side.
Other recipes from the same family
Lebanese Mediterranean breakfast plate
The traditional Mount-Lebanon breakfast plate: aged akawi or cheddar, black Kalamata olives, fresh thyme leaves and zaatar drizzled with olive oil, sourdough whole bread, Medjool dates. Eaten slowly with mint or green tea. Energy-dense, palette-pure, ready in eight minutes.
8 min · 2 servings
Fig and tahini toast
Late-summer Levantine breakfast: warm whole bread, raw stone-ground tahini, ripe black or purple figs and a thread of wildflower honey. Roots in Mount Lebanon orchard culture.
8 min · 1 servings
Tahini and honey toast
A traditional Levantine breakfast pairing whole sourdough bread with raw stone-ground tahini and pure raw honey. Slow energy, no spike, ready in eight minutes.
8 min · 1 servings
This article relays the public teachings of Dr. Diaa Al-Awadi for educational and informative purposes. It is not medical advice. Consult your physician before any dietary change. Legal notice.