Madfouna Filaliya (مدفونة فيلالية)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large mixing bowl
• •Rolling pin
• •Baking stone or heavy oven tray
• •Wide wooden board for serving

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the dough

   Mix the semolina or flour with the salt and yeast, then add the warm water little by little, working with your hand until a soft dough gathers. Knead 8 to 10 minutes, adding the olive oil near the end, until the dough feels supple and no longer tears when you stretch it.

2. 2

   Rest it well

   Cover the dough and let it rest for 30 minutes. This rest is not decoration: it relaxes the gluten, so you can roll the rounds thin without fighting them.

3. 3

   Mix the filling

   In a bowl, mix the minced meat, onion, parsley, coriander, almonds, ras el hanout, cumin, paprika, ginger, turmeric, bloomed saffron, preserved lemon, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Use your hand and mix until the onions shine with spice and the meat is evenly seasoned. La balance est dans les yeux, but with ras el hanout, you don't cheat.

4. 4

   Roll two rounds

   Divide the dough in two, then divide each half again so you have four pieces. Roll two pieces into thin rounds, about 28cm wide, dusting lightly so they don't stick. Keep the center a little stronger than the edge, because it must carry the filling.

5. 5

   Fill and seal

   Spread half the filling over one round, leaving a clean border of about 2cm. Lay the second round over it and press the edges firmly together, then fold and pinch the rim all around. Prick the top a few times with a fork so the bread can breathe without bursting.

6. 6

   Bake until gold

   Heat the oven to 240C with a baking stone or heavy tray inside. Slide the madfouna onto the hot surface and bake 12 to 15 minutes, turning once if your oven browns unevenly, until the crust is golden with darker freckles and the underside sounds firm when tapped. Repeat with the second bread.

7. 7

   Brush and share

   Brush the hot breads lightly with olive oil and let them stand 5 minutes before cutting. The filling needs that short rest to settle, so the wedges open cleanly instead of spilling all over the board.

Chef Tips

• •If your meat is very lean, add a spoon of olive oil to the filling. The bread needs a little fat inside so the onions and spices cook into the meat instead of drying out.
• •Buy ras el hanout from someone who can tell you what is in it. A tired pre-ground tin gives you dust, and no careful sealing will rescue that.
• •The home oven version is an honest adaptation of the hearth method, not the old ash-buried cooking itself. Say that plainly and the tradition stays clean.
• •Chop the onion fine. Large pieces stay raw by the time the bread is baked, and madfouna should open fragrant, not sharp.

Advance Preparation

• •The dough can be mixed and refrigerated overnight, covered and lightly oiled. Let it come back to room temperature before rolling.
• •The filling can be mixed up to 6 hours ahead and kept chilled. Bring it out 20 minutes before assembling so it spreads easily.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 220g)