"Za'atar is a wonderfully tangy, herb-forward Middle Eastern spice blend. Do you know it? I'm sure a bunch of you do. It's the sort of ingredient that tends to make an appearance in my kitchen this time of year. Right now it sits on my counter next to essentials like sea salt and olive oil, and I suspect it will be there a while. I find za'atar a welcome counterpoint to the sweetness of deeply roasted winter squash, a nice wildcard element in big hearty soups, ideal sprinkled generously over eggs of all kinds, and just the right accent on everything from mashed avocado to chopped olives. Seriously, it's good all around. It's one of those blends that varies from country to country, family to family, cook to cook, and it's simple to prepare. The base recipe for the version I make is a simple ratio of dried thyme, sumac, toasted sesame seeds, and sea salt. Pre-made za'atar is easy to find around, and I've sampled a good range, but it's one of those things worth making yourself. Use good sesame seeds, recently dried thyme, with vibrant sumac, and the za'atar you'll have will have an intensity nearly impossible to find in pre-packaged blends.
While you can used pre-packaged dried thyme here, I prefer to dry my own fresh thyme in the oven just before making this blend. The thyme retains a nice green color, the flavor is bright and fresh, and there is none of the mustiness you sometimes get with herbs or spices that are past their prime. It's one of those little details that make enough of a difference to be worth it. 4 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, stripped from stems (or equivalent dried)
2 teaspoons ground sumac*
scant 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds"
See the entire recipe with comments at 101 Cookbooks