Mhadjeb

Name: Mhadjeb
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Algerian
Ingredients: 400 g fine semolina; 100 g plain flour; 1 tsp salt; About 320 ml warm water; 100 ml vegetable oil, for stretching; 3 large onions, finely diced; 2 red peppers, finely diced; 4 ripe tomatoes, grated, or 400 g tin chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsp tomato puree; 2 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp ground caraway; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp harissa; 1 tsp salt, for the filling; 4 tbsp olive oil

by CommunityKitchen

AlgerianMedium1 hr 30 minServes 4

Algeria's great street snack, sold folded in paper outside every bus station: squares of stretched semolina dough wrapped around a slow-cooked onion, pepper and tomato filling, then griddled dry until the layers blister.

Per
serving

610kcal

13gprotein

88gcarbs

22gfat

Ingredients

400 g fine semolina
100 g plain flour
1 tsp salt
About 320 ml warm water
100 ml vegetable oil, for stretching
3 large onions, finely diced
2 red peppers, finely diced
4 ripe tomatoes, grated, or 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground caraway
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp harissa
1 tsp salt, for the filling
4 tbsp olive oil

Before you cook

Mix the semolina, plain flour and 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl, then add the warm water gradually to make a soft, slightly sticky dough.
Knead the dough for 10 minutes, until elastic and smooth, then divide it into 8 balls.
Coat each ball generously with vegetable oil, sit them in an oiled tray and rest them for 45 minutes.

Steps

Warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
Add the diced onions and a pinch of salt and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden.
Add the diced peppers and cook for 8 minutes more.
Stir in the tomato puree, paprika, caraway, cumin and harissa.
Add the grated tomatoes and the salt.
Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until the filling is thick enough to hold its shape on the spoon.
Spread the filling on a plate to cool to room temperature.
Oil your work surface generously with your palms.
Press one ball of dough flat, then push it outwards from the centre with oiled fingers until it is a thin, almost transparent square.
Spoon two tablespoons of the cooled filling into the middle of the square.
Fold the left and right sides over the filling, then fold the top and bottom in to make a neat parcel.
Set the parcel aside seam side down and shape the rest the same way.
Heat a dry heavy frying pan or griddle over medium heat.
Lay a parcel in the pan seam side down and cook it for 3 minutes, until brown spots appear.
Turn it over and cook for another 3 minutes, pressing gently with a spatula.
Stack the cooked mhadjeb under a clean cloth so they stay soft.
Cut them in half and serve hot with mint tea.

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