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Batbout (griddled pocket breads)
Batbout: small yeasted semolina rounds cooked on a griddle until they puff into pockets
Batbout, also called mkhamar, are small soft rounds of semolina and flour dough cooked on a dry griddle rather than in the oven, so they puff up like balloons and open into a pocket when split. Moroccan families make them for breakfast and teatime, and snack bars stuff them with all sorts of fillings; vegetarian favourites are zaalouk, egg and potato, soft cheese, or simply butter and honey or amlou. They are tender and slightly chewy, with a pale, freckled surface. The dough needs about an hour to rise and another short rest after shaping. A frequent slip is rolling the rounds too thin or cooking them on a fierce heat, so they scorch before they puff into pockets. Chef's tip: roll them no thinner than 5 mm and cook over a medium-low heat; thin rounds or a fierce pan scorch before they have a chance to puff.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 9 oz fine semolina, 9 oz plain flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 1 tsp sugar and 1 ½ tsp salt in a large bowl. Add 1 ½ cups lukewarm water and 1 tbsp vegetable oil and bring together into a soft dough.
Step 2: Knead on a lightly oiled surface until smooth, soft and elastic.
10 minStep 3: Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled.
60 minStep 4: Knock the dough back, divide in two and roll each half on a semolina-dusted surface to about 5 mm thick. Cut out rounds with a 9–10 cm cutter or glass and re-roll the scraps once. You should get about 16.
Step 5: Lay the rounds on a semolina-dusted tray, cover with a tea towel and leave to rise until slightly puffy.
20 minStep 6: Heat a heavy frying pan or griddle over a medium-low heat with no oil. Cook 3–4 rounds at a time, turning every minute, until they balloon, are dry and freckled with golden spots on both sides, and sound hollow when tapped.
6 minStep 7: Stack the cooked batbout in a tea towel to keep them soft while you cook the rest. Serve warm, split open at the edge and filled as you like.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does batbout (griddled pocket breads) take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 90 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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