Markouk, or village bread, is a thin, round Lebanese bread traditionally made on a concave outdoor oven. As large as 24 inches in diameter, it’s served hot or cold with a mezze platter and is a great pita alternative for scooping up hummus, wrapping around shish kebobs or containing any sandwich filling. When dried out, it’s the main component in the classic Syrian and Lebanese fattoush salad, made of lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, mint and a lemon vinaigrette with pieces of the dried bread. The word “markouk” means “stretched” or “patted,” a reference to the way the large loaves of bread are formed. Markouk is similar to the flatbread lavash, which originated in Armenia and Turkey, and is a bit easier to come by in Brooklyn. Nevertheless, you can pick up a packaged version of markouk, along with some tangy house made baba ganoush at the cordial and abundant D’Vine International Foods.

D’Vine International Foods
150 Seventh Avenue

Originally published on Until Monday: Brooklyn