Batbout (بطبوط)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide mixing bowl
• •Heavy skillet, griddle, or Moroccan farrah pan
• •Clean kitchen towels

Instructions

1. 1

   Wake the yeast

   Stir the yeast and sugar into a little of the warm water and let it stand until the surface looks creamy and alive, about 5 to 10 minutes. If nothing happens, don't argue with dead yeast. Start again, because flat bread that was meant to puff is a sad thing.

2. 2

   Mix the dough

   In a wide bowl, mix the semolina, flour, and salt. Pour in the yeast water, most of the remaining warm water, and the olive oil if using. Gather it with your hand until it becomes a soft dough, adding the last water only if the flour asks for it. It should feel supple and a little tacky, not wet enough to slump.

3. 3

   Knead until smooth

   Knead for 8 to 10 minutes by hand, pushing the dough away and folding it back until it turns smooth and elastic. Semolina takes a little time to drink, so don't rush to add flour. The dough will begin rough under your palm and finish calm, like something that can hold air.

4. 4

   Rest the dough

   Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place until puffed and light, about 45 to 60 minutes. It doesn't need to climb like a tall loaf. It needs to relax enough that the rounds can roll thin and still swell on the pan.

5. 5

   Shape the rounds

   Turn the dough onto a surface dusted with fine semolina. Divide into 12 pieces, roll each into a ball, then flatten and roll into rounds about 10 to 12 cm wide and 5 mm thick. Keep the rounds even. Thin edges burn before the center cooks, and a heavy center refuses to make a pocket.

   If the dough pulls back while you roll, cover it for 5 minutes and let it rest. Dough has its own breath, and you work better when you listen to it.
6. 6

   Proof the rounds

   Lay the rounds on a semolina-dusted cloth, cover with another cloth, and rest until slightly puffy, 20 to 30 minutes. Don't let them overrise until fragile. You want them soft enough to lift, strong enough to meet the hot pan.

7. 7

   Cook on pan

   Heat a heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat until steady. Lay on a round and cook until pale-gold spots appear underneath, then turn. Keep turning every 30 to 45 seconds so both sides cook evenly and the center fills with air. The one why that decides batbout is this: the outside must set fast enough to trap the expanding air inside, but not so fast that it seals the bread before the center cooks.

   If the bread browns hard before puffing, lower the heat. If it stays pale and dry, raise it a little. The pan teaches you after the first one.
8. 8

   Keep them tender

   Move each cooked batbout to a clean towel and cover it while you cook the rest. The trapped warmth softens the crust and keeps the pocket tender. Serve warm, split by hand, with tagine sauce, olives, cheese, honey, or whatever your table has ready.

Chef Tips

• •Use fine semolina if you can. Coarse semolina tears the dough and makes a heavier bread.
• •Do not flour the pan. Dust the rounds lightly with semolina before cooking, then shake off the excess so it doesn't scorch.
• •The first batbout is your thermometer. Read its spots, its puff, and its center, then adjust the flame. La balance est dans les yeux (the scale is in the eyes).
• •For small Ramadan sandwiches, roll the rounds a little smaller and keep them evenly thin so each one opens into a pocket.
• •Batbout is best warm, but it forgives a busy house. Reheat it briefly in a dry pan and cover it in a towel before serving.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be mixed and given its first rise in the refrigerator overnight. Let it come back to room temperature before shaping.
• •Cooked batbout keeps 1 day wrapped at room temperature, or up to 2 months frozen. Reheat from thawed in a dry pan until soft and warm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 75g)