Moroccan Msemen Recipe - Square Laminated Pancakes

🧂 Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups white flour

  - all purpose or bread
• 1/2 cup fine semolina or durum flour
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp dry yeast -

  less in very warm weather
• 1 1/2 cups warm water -

  not hot
• 1 cup vegetable oil -

  more if needed
• 1/2 cup fine semolina -

  can use coarser caliber if you like
• 1/4 cup very soft unsalted butter -

  more if needed

Instructions

• 1 Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the water and combine to make a
  dough.
• 2 Knead the dough by hand (or with a mixer and dough hook) until very smooth, soft
  and elastic but not sticky. Adjust water or flour as necessary to achieve that
  texture.
• 3 Divide the dough into balls the size of small plums. Be sure the top and sides
  of the balls are smooth. Transfer the balls of dough on an oiled tray, cover
  loosely with plastic and leave to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• 4 While the dough is resting, set up a work area. You'll need a large flat surface
  for spreading and folding the dough. Set out bowls of vegetable oil, semolina
  and very soft butter. Set your griddle or large frying pan on the stove, ready
  to heat up.
• 5 Generously oil your work surface and your hands. Dip a ball of dough in the oil
  and place it in the center of your work space. Using a light touch and quick
  sweeping motion from the center outward, gently spread the dough into a
  paper-thin, roughly shaped circle. Oil your hands as often as needed so that
  they slide easily over the dough.
• 6 Dot the flattened dough with butter and sprinkle with semolina. Fold the dough
  into thirds like a letter to form an elongated rectangle. Dot again with butter,
  sprinkle with semolina, and fold again into thirds to form a square.
• 7 Transfer the folded dough to the oiled tray and repeat with the remaining balls
  of dough. Keep track of the order in which you folded the squares.
• 8 Heat your griddle or frying pan over medium heat until quite hot. Starting with
  the first msemen you folded, take a square of dough and place on your oiled work
  surface. Oil your hands and pat the dough firmly to flatten it to double its
  original size.
• 9 Transfer the flattened square to the hot griddle and cook, turning several
  times, until cooked through, crispy on the exterior and golden in color.
  Transfer to a rack.
• 10 Repeat with the remaining squares, working with them in the order in which they
  were folded. You can flatten and cook several at a time if your pan or griddle
  can accommodate them.
• 11 When each msemen has cooled for a minute or two, pick it up from opposite ends
  and gently flex it for a few seconds with a quick back and forth, see-saw
  motion. This helps separate the laminated layers from each other.
• 12 Serve the msemen immediately, or allow to cool completely before freezing.

Nutrition Info