[EN] Msemmen / المسمن - CookingWithAlia - Episode 696

Today we are preparing a delicious Moroccan breakfast bread called Msemmen.
RECIPE: https://goo.gl/rvLWVE

INGREDIENTS:
Dough Ingredients:
360 grams all purpose white flour (3 cups)
150 grams fino semolina (extra fine semolina, you can replace it by fine semolina) (1 cup)
1 teaspoon salt
300 ml water

Shaping Ingredients:
50 grams butter, melted (1.8 oz.)
50 ml vegetable oil
50 grams fino semolina (extra fine semolina, you can replace it by fine semolina) (1.8 oz.)

DIRECTIONS:
Step 1: Prepare the dough
1- In a large plate, or in a Gasaa which is a Moroccan clay plate, place the fino semolina, white flour, and salt. Mix all the ingredients together.
2- Add lukewarm water little by little and continue mixing until you form a dough ball; it should not be too moist and it should definitely not be sticky. If you put too much water, just add a little flour to balance it.
3- Knead the dough with your fists and palms for around 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
4- Brush the dough with a little bit of vegetable oil, cover it with a clean cloth, and let it rest for 20 minutes.
5- Once the dough is ready, brush it again with a little bit of vegetable oil. Grasp a portion of the dough, and using your thumb and index fingers, cut small dough balls that are the size of a tennis ball. From time to time, put vegetable oil on your hands to keep them well oiled while cutting the dough.
6- Place the dough balls in a plate, lightly brush them with vegetable oil, and cover them with a clean cloth. Let them rest for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Shape the dough
7- After 15 minutes, the dough balls are ready to be shaped into squares, which is the traditional shape of Msmmen.
8- Brush your work surface with vegetable oil. Take a dough ball and flatten it with the palm of your hand. Using your fingers, gently push the edges of the dough to expand it into a very thin disk of dough – the dough is almost transparent at this point and you can somewhat see your work surface through it.
9- Add about 1 teaspoon of melted butter on the dough and spread it evenly with your hands.
10- Sprinkle a little bit of fino flour all over the dough. Fold the upper edge towards the center and add a bit of melted butter on top. Now fold the lower edge of the dough towards the center on top of the other edge, to create a long rectangle of dough. Add a bit of melted butter on top of it.
11- Sprinkle with semolina again, then fold the right and left edges of the dough towards the center, on top of each other, to form a square.
12- Place the dough squares on a plate, cover them, and let them rest for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Cook the Msmmen
13- When the dough is ready, brush your work station with vegetable oil, take one dough square and flatten it with your fingers and the palm of your hand, until you get a thin square that is around 3 times larger. Spread a bit of melted butter on it.
14- Heat your pan on high heat and once ready drizzle some vegetable oil on it. Reduce the heat to medium-high and cook the Msmmen on both sides for a few minutes each, turning over several times until each side has a golden brown color and the center of the Msmmen is cooked. The Msmmen may puff up while cooking, but will immediately become flat if you push it down with your hand. The cooked Msmmen is chewy but should not taste raw. Serve the Msmmen immediately, with honey, cheese, or any other toppings of your choice. Roll and enjoy!