Mahjouba | Algerian Semolina Crepes
Mahjouba, popular Algerian street food that comprises a flaky semolina flatbread stuffed with harissa flavoured spicy onion-tomato filling.
Servings: 6 crepes
Calories: 349kcal
Ingredients
For the dough
- 2 cups fine semolina
- salt to taste
- 1 cup water (may need more while kneading and this will depend on the quality of the semolina so add little by little)
- cooking oil (keep a bowl of oil close to the work area)
For the filling
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 small red onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon tomato paste
- 2 tomatoes chopped roughly
- 2 teaspoon harissa paste add gradually as per your taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika powder
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
Prepare the dough
- In a large shallow bowl mix the semolina and salt and start adding water little by little until you can form a dough. Transfer the dough to the counter and knead by stretching back and forth using the lower part of the palm. Sprinkle water every few minutes until the dough is no longer sticky!2 cups fine semolina, salt to taste, 1 cup water
- Grease a large tray with oil. Squeeze equal-sized balls of dough between index and thumb and place them on the tray with space between each dough ball. Brush them with oil and cover the tray with cling wrap. Keep this to rest for a minimum of 30 minutes.cooking oil
Prepare the filling
- Heat a saucepan on medium flame and add olive oil. Add in the finely chopped onions along with a dash of salt, and sauté until translucent. Add the grated garlic, and tomato paste, and let it cook for a minute. Add the chopped tomatoes along with the spice powders and harissa paste.1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 small red onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoon tomato paste, 2 tomatoes, 2 teaspoon harissa paste, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika powder, salt to taste
- Stir to prevent it from sticking to the pan. Cook until the tomatoes soften. Add more olive oil or drops of water if the mixture is too dry. Taste test and adjust the spices and salt.
- Switch off and stir in the freshly chopped coriander leaves. Let it cool completely before you can use it.2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
Assemble Mahjouba
- Heat the flat pan on a low flame so it is ready by the time your first Mahjouba is ready to be cooked. Oil your hands and work surface very well. Take one dough ball and cover the rest.
- Lightly oil your work surface and flatten a dough ball using your palm. Gently use both your palms to stretch the dough all the way around until transparent. Pull the edges to stretch the dough into a paper-thin rectangle. You may end up with a few holes and that is okay.
- Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the filling in the centre of the dough, and with the back of a spoon gently spread it out evenly. Fold the sides of the rectangle over the filling to seal and enclose the filling.
pan roast the crepes
- Transfer the stuffed crepe to the hot pan. You can try and lift the Mahjouba using a spatula and lay it on the hot pan OR if you have trouble, then choose to fold the Mahjouba on a large plate so you can transfer the prepared square onto your hand and then onto the pan.
- Cook by flipping until browned on both sides. It can take 5 to 8 minutes to get done. Serve immediately! Meanwhile, work on your next dough ball.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 51.06g | Protein: 8.58g | Fat: 12.38g
