Description
Msemen is a traditional Moroccan pancake known for its delightful crispy edges and soft, layered texture. Made with a simple dough of flour, semolina, yeast, and water, it’s carefully folded and pan-cooked to perfection. This versatile pancake pairs beautifully with honey, butter, or jam, making it a cherished breakfast or snack in Moroccan cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 500 g all-purpose flour
- 150 g fine semolina
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons dry yeast
- 500 ml warm water
For Folding and Cooking
- 100 ml vegetable oil (plus extra for folding and cooking)
- 100 g melted butter (for folding and cooking)
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the flour, fine semolina, salt, sugar, and dry yeast until thoroughly combined.
- Add warm water: Gradually pour in the warm water while stirring continuously to form a soft, sticky dough.
- Knead the dough: Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Use an electric mixer with a dough hook if preferred.
- First rest: Cover the dough with a clean damp cloth and allow it to rest for about 30 minutes, or until it doubles in size.
- Divide the dough: Once rested, divide the dough into small portions roughly the size of a small apple.
- Oil and form balls: Generously coat each dough piece with vegetable oil to prevent sticking and shape them into smooth balls.
- Second rest: Let the dough balls rest for another 10 minutes to relax the gluten.
- Roll out: On a well-oiled surface, flatten each ball with your hands into thin, translucent square sheets.
- Brush and sprinkle: Brush the surface with melted butter and lightly sprinkle some fine semolina over it.
- Fold into envelopes: Fold the sides of the dough square towards the center to create a neat square envelope shape.
- Repeat process: Perform the rolling, brushing, sprinkling, and folding steps with all remaining dough balls.
- Preheat pan: Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and lightly oil it to prevent sticking.
- Cook pancakes: Place each msemen into the pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.
- Serve warm: Enjoy the msemen hot with honey, butter, or your favorite jam for a traditional Moroccan treat.
Notes
- Use warm water to activate the yeast properly for the best dough rise.
- Kneading is essential to develop gluten, giving msemen its characteristic texture.
- Be generous with oil during rolling and folding to achieve the pancake’s distinctive layers and crispiness.
- The dough should be soft but not too sticky; adjust water or flour slightly if needed.
- Cooking on medium heat ensures the msemen is cooked through without burning.
- Serve msemen fresh and warm for the best taste and texture.
