Exhilarating Toppings in Liverpool Manoosh Pizzas

When it comes to pizza, we’re familiar with the classic Italian tomato, cheese and herb toppings. However, Lebanese pizza offers a unique blend of ingredients, traditions and techniques that has influenced the food industry. Before globalisation, people would freely exchange their cultures, which included pizza toppings. Instead, they make what we called the Manoosh, which is different from regular pizzas. Here’s what they use as toppings:

Unlike your Chipping Norton pizza, za’atar is an integral component of Lebanese food culture. Comprising a blend of spices and herbs, it contains Lebanese oregano, sumac, dried thyme, toasted sesame seeds, salt and sumac. In the end, you’ll have an earth-coloured mixture that smells and tastes delicious. To try with pizza, mix it with olive oil, tomato sauce and spread it with Lebanese bread.

Labneh is made from soft cheese from cow, camel, water buffalo, sheep and goat’s milk. Commonly eaten with the traditional man’oushe style pizza, it tastes equally great when combined with za’atar in Liverpool Manoosh.

Sujuk, a Brighton pizza, is called several names such as soutzouki, sudzhuk, sucuk and soudjouk. Regardless of spelling, they refer to sausage dating back to the olden days. It was invented by the Turks, but the dish spread to the Middle East, Balkans, Mediterranean and Central Asia. All of these regions adapted the Lebanese pizza according to local ingredients, produce and variations. It is often likened to salami thanks to its salty and dry flavour with the content of high-fat.

It is made of ground beef, along with horse meat, mutton and pork. It is combined with red pepper, sumac, cumin and garlic and prepared in sausage casings. The sujuk is hung as well as dried for three weeks before cooking, just like salami. Due to its dry nature, sujuk is eaten with a thin crust. The oils and fats quickly burn to lend it a crispy texture and soft centre, combined with garlic and fresh tomatoes on pita bread.

Haloumi is commonly used on gourmet pizza, which is different from Chipping Norton pizza. Eaten in the Mediterranean or Middle East regions, haloumi is a white and hard cheese made traditionally of sheep, goat and often cow milk. It is grilled or fried for its crispy texture, stretched and woven into bundles and stored in olive oil.

Therefore, meet us at Sydney Manoosh if you’re craving Brighton pizza.