Did you savour Msemen, a delicious, crisp, flaky and soft layered square flatbread that you tore and dunked in a small bowl of honey at a beautiful Moroccan cafe? And while sipping the hot Moroccan mint tea served in vibrant tumblers, have you wondered if you could recreate Msemen in your home kitchen? I did, and not just once!
If you love making bread at home and want a new culinary adventure, try this Msemen, a Moroccan breakfast bread. Flaky with a layered texture, this bread can be enjoyed as is or served alongside savoury or sweet accompaniments such as honey, jam, or cheese. Extra savoury people like us? We love this bread with some harissa chicken or simple Shakshouka!
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📋What is Msemen?
Msemen or Msemmen also known as Rghaif, is a square-shaped traditional Moroccan breakfast food, popular among the North African or Maghreb countries. It's known for its flaky, layered texture with a crispy outside and is enjoyed as a breakfast or snack.
The dough is made from flour, fine semolina, salt and water, then folded multiple times into a square or rectangle and cooked on a flat pan until golden brown and crispy outside. Msemen can be served as is or with honey or jam and butter, or even stuffed with various fillings making it a versatile and delicious Moroccan pancake.
I will walk you through everything you need to know how to make Msemen at home, from the ingredients to the preparation and cooking methods.
📋Why you'll love this recipe?
As an Indian, I was drawn to this flatbread because it looks like our Paratha! And, you cannot talk about Msemen without mentioning Meloui. Now, what is Meloui? It needs a separate post but in short, Meloui is a variation of Msemen in a different shape. And guess what? Meloui resembles our Kerala Porotta! 🙂
You will love this recipe if you love working with dough and making bread from scratch with your hands. So be prepared for lots of kneading, shaping and spreading. Also, this bread uses a lot of butter and oil, don't skip or cut down. Do check the Substitutions for options.
🥘Ingredients
Traditionally, this flatbread is made with an unleavened dough of flour and fine semolina, but beginners add some yeast to help attain the dough's elasticity faster. I am a beginner but I wanted to start as a pro! There is no rule for the ratio of flour to semolina, generally, the best rule is to go for an equal portion by volume.
The ingredients used to make Moroccan Msemen recipe without yeast are:
- All-purpose flour
- Fine semolina
- Salt
- Lukewarm water
- Softened Butter
- Oil
See the recipe card for quantities.
📝Substitutions
Msemen ingredients are basic but you still can experiment with a few alternative options like these:
- All-purpose Flour: You can use bread flour or mix half whole wheat flour as a substitute. Again, the texture and flavour may be slightly different.
- Water: Though not traditional, you can use milk or a combination of milk and water for a richer flavour and softer texture.
- Fine semolina: If fine semolina is unavailable, use regular semolina flour or durum wheat flour instead. While the texture may be slightly different, these alternatives should work well in this Moroccan Msemen recipe. Just keep in mind that the finer the semolina, the smoother the texture of the dough will be, so adjust the water accordingly. Do not use roasted semolina, it doesn't work well for this recipe.
- Butter: You can replace it with ghee or use only oil for a vegan option.
- Oil: Any neutral-flavoured oil such as sunflower or vegetable oil can be used.
🔪Steps to make Msemen
Before you start, please note that this recipe needs space, time and effort.
The Dough
You can make the dough using a stand mixer but I don't own one yet. Consider this as a good arm workout, but if you have to, take a five.
Combine the fine semolina, all-purpose flour, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add warm water a little a time, stirring with your fingers and slowly bring it together to form a dough.
Transfer the dough to a clean work surface and begin kneading it with both hands. Take your time and enjoy the process - kneading can be therapeutic!
Slowly add the remaining water, a few teaspoons at a time and continue kneading. Knead the dough for about 15 minutes until it becomes elastic and smooth. Cover the dough and let it rest for about 20-30 minutes.
After resting, divide the dough into 6 equal-sized dough balls (See recipe notes). Place them on a greased plate. Coat each ball generously with oil to prevent sticking. Keep covered and rest for another 20 to 30 minutes.
The Shaping
⏲️Prepare a clean, smooth surface for spreading and folding the dough, such as a kitchen counter or table. Avoid using wooden surfaces. Mix the oil and softened butter in a small bowl. Keep the bowl of oil and a bowl of semolina close by. Generously oil your hands and work surface.
On an oiled work surface with oiled hands spread a dough ball out as thinly as possible. Don't worry about the shape here. Lift and stretch from all sides until it’s thin and almost translucent. It's okay if there are minor tears.
Spoon over dollops of the oil-butter mixture and spread evenly over the flattened dough. Next, sprinkle semolina all over (use a spoon.) Start laminating!
You can fold in thirds or fourths, then spread oil and sprinkle semolina between each fold. Depending on the size of the sheet, I make more or less folds.
Next, bring the opposite side to meet or overlap the first fold, again spreading oil and sprinkling semolina. Then if you folded to meet, fold again to overlap. You'll end up with a long strip.
Fold both the narrow ends to meet in the centre, continuing to spread oil and sprinkle semolina. Fold to overlap and form a parcel. In the end, you'll have a square or rectangular parcel.
Place the shaped Msemen on a greased plate and brush it with more oil. Cover with a cling film and repeat with the remaining dough balls. Let them rest for a few minutes to relax the gluten.
The Cooking
⏲️Ensure your heavy-bottomed large frying pan is ready to heat. Have a large oiled tray to place folded Msemen and a wire rack for cooked bread nearby.
Heat a thick-bottomed wide flat pan over medium heat. Starting with the first Msemen you folded, lightly spread it out with your fingers until it doubles in size but not too thin.
Place it on the greased hot pan and wait for the top side to change colour.
Flip and cook the other side. Cook for 2-3 minutes turning several times until golden brown and crispy. Remove them from the pan and place them in a foil-lined bread basket. Serve immediately for the best taste.
While cooking, you can continue with the remaining squares. You may have to grease the skillet if necessary. As you can see in this image, I was also trying to learn how to shape Meloui, a round version of Msemen, but with a lot more layers.
🍽️How to serve Msemen?
- With breakfast: Have Moroccan Msemen by spreading it with butter, jam, honey, or cheese. It's also delicious with Moroccan-style omelettes or fried eggs, providing a hearty start to the day.
- As a Snack: These Msemen make for a simple and satisfying snack on their own or paired with dried fruits. You can also toast or grill it and sprinkle it with olive oil and za'atar seasoning for added flavour.
- With Tea: In Moroccan culture, bread is often served with mint tea, a popular beverage enjoyed throughout the day. Dip a piece of Moroccan bread into the sweetened tea for a delightful combination of flavours.
💡Tips to make Msemen
- Let the Dough Rest: Don't skip resting the dough both after dividing and after shaping the Msemen. This helps the gluten relax, making the dough more elastic and easier to handle. It also enhances the flavours and gives the pancake a softer, flakier texture. So, be patient and give the dough enough time to rest for the best results!
- Generously Oil: Use a mix of vegetable oil and melted butter to oil your hands, the work surface, and the dough. This prevents sticking and helps create flaky layers.
- Bonus Tip: Practice Makes Perfect! Don’t be discouraged if your first few attempts aren’t perfect. Msemen-making is an art that improves with practice. Each time you make them, you’ll get better at stretching, folding, and cooking them to perfection.
❄️Storage
- You can store any leftover msemen in a food container at room temperature for up to 2 days. They are good on their own, but reheating them on a pan or toaster will make them even better.
- You may refrigerate them for longer. Again, ensure to reheat in a toaster for about a minute or two. If using a pan, reheat over high heat turning a few times until just warm.
- Freeze Msemen: Once cooled, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container, separating each piece with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be stored in the freezer for 2 to 3 months. To serve, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat in the oven or toaster until warm.
☝️Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Msemen can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer. Reheat them before serving to enjoy them warm and crispy.
Yes! You can substitute fine semolina flour with regular semolina, although the texture may vary slightly. Regular semolina is slightly coarser than fine semolina flour, but it will still work well in this Msemen recipe. Do not use Coarse Semolina for the dough.
Knead by adding water gradually and rest the soft dough before shaping. Use enough oil during shaping and cooking to prevent sticking. Ensure your work surface and hands are well-oiled.
Msemen and paratha are similar flatbreads but the ingredients are not the same. They come from different culinary traditions and have distinct characteristics. Both breads are layered and cooked on a griddle but the ingredients, techniques, and cultural contexts are different.
The proper kneading, resting, and folding techniques are key to achieving Msemen's flaky texture. Ensure each layer is thin and well-oiled.
Yes, you can use a stand mixer to make msemen dough. You will have to knead the dough for about 8-10 minutes on medium speed until it becomes smooth and elastic.
🍲More related recipes to try
Looking for other recipes using fine semolina? Try these:
Originally posted as a Guest Post for my favourite person, Rafeeda 🙂Inspired and adapted from multiple videos on YouTube by Fatemahisokay I love her breadmaking skills!
📖 Recipe Card
Msemen (Moroccan Square Pancakes)
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups fine semolina
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water, lukewarm (approx.)
For shaping
- ½ cup Butter, softened
- ½ cup sunflower oil
- ⅓ cup semolina
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- In a large bowl mix together the flour, semolina and salt.1½ cups all-purpose flour1½ cups fine semolina2 teaspoon salt
- Gradually add water, stirring with your fingers to bring the ingredients together into a dough.2 cups water
- Transfer the dough to the work surface and start stretching and kneading with both your hands. Sprinkle water every 2 minutes, for 10-15 minutes until the dough is soft and elastic. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
- Divide the dough into equal-sized balls, considering the size of your work area and pan. Use a dough cutter or your hands. (see notes)
- Coat the dough balls with oil and place them on a well-greased plate. Cover with cling wrap and let them rest for another 20-30 minutes.
Shape
- Prepare a mixture of the softened butter and oil.½ cup Butter½ cup sunflower oil
- Grease your work surface with oil and place a dough ball on it. Avoid using wooden surface or any that is not smooth.
- Oil both your hands and start sliding and spreading the dough ball out as thin as possible. You can also lift and stretch around the sides to thin the edges. Minor tears are okay but if occurred, pat and thin it out.
- Spoon over dollops of butter oil mix and spread it all over the sheet. Next, sprinkle semolina all over (use a spoon) Start laminating!⅓ cup semolina
- Fold the dough in thirds or fourths, spreading the butter-oil mixture and sprinkling semolina between each fold to laminate.
- Fold the opposite side to meet or overlap the first fold, then fold again to form a long strip.
- Fold the narrow ends to meet in the center, continuing to spread the butter-oil mixture and sprinkle semolina. Fold to overlap, forming a square or rectangular parcel.
- Place the shaped msemen on a greased surface and cover with a cloth or cling film. Let them rest for a few minutes to relax the gluten.
Cook
- Heat a thick-bottomed wide flat pan over medium heat. Lightly spread the first msemen you folded until it doubles in size but not thin.
- Place it on the greased hot pan and cook until the top side changes color. Flip several times, pressing on the edges to ensure even cooking.
- Once both sides are golden brown and cooked through, remove and store in a bread basket or on a cooling rack. Gently crush between your hands to make it fluffy like we do for porotta.
- Serve immediately for the best experience accompanied by butter, honey, date syrup, or jam, or simply enjoy it as is for tea time. For savoury, pair it with fried eggs, tomato curry, cheese, etc.
Famidha says
I enjoyed making this and F loved it with labneh and honey. I reheated for the next day and had some shakshouka too!