BATBOUT M'KHAMER BREAD - PAIN BATBOUT

Last Friday, my good friends and neighbors Jessica & Jonathan came to my place for the evening. As I know that they love to eat and discover new things, I made a whole Middle-Eastern and North African dinner...

On the menu (see Jessica Brogan's blog "In Search Of Dessert" and her "Flickr" page in order to read her post on the subject and see her pictures of the meal) there were several courses and nine (!) different dishes, all made from scratch as well as with much care in order to stay truthful to the original recipe.

We ate "Jerusalem-Style Hummus" (see recipe), "Turkish Eggplant Purée With Yogurt", "Moroccan Lamb Cigars", "Tiropitakia Or Greek Cheese Triangles", "Moroccan Lemony Beef And Potato Tagine" (see recipe), "Lebanese Tabbouleh", "Turkish Ekmek Bread" (see recipe), "Moroccan Batbout Bread" (recipe follows) and "Maple Walnut Ice Cream". Jessica had also made extremely scrumptious "Upside-Dowm Cheesecakes" (see recipe) with Sardinian honey...

Needless to say that we stuffed ourselves until we literally exploded! As I love that kind of spicy, flavorful and exotic food, I was so glad that both my friends enjoyed the food, had a second serving (even a third serving!!!) and cleaned their plates as if there would be no tomorrow!

As you might have guessed, today, I'm delivering you the recipe for one of the specialities I made on that occasion: a very popular Moroccan flatbread called "Batbout" and which is traditionally cooked in earthenware tajines. It is also known under the name of "Metlouâ (Matlouh)" or "Bouchiar", depending on the regions where it is made.

"Manage with bread and butter until God sends the honey. "
- Moroccan Proverb -

Bread, one of the most essential stables, is sacred in Morocco and is treated with the utmost respect. As in most Arab countries and households, the Moroccans bake bread every morning in a atmosphere of communion. Before commencing the sacred act of kneading, an invocation to God is made. Once the bread has been properly shaped, each family puts it's own mark/stamp on it and then, sends it via the children to a common bakery oven made of terra cotta.

Bread is eaten with every meal, except during the holy month of Ramadan, during the fasting. It is generally used as a "fork" or "ustensil" for conveying food when eating with the fingers. Many varieties of fermented or non-fermented breads exist. The choice is vast (Msemmen, Khobz, Anise Bread, Fried Bread, Bhagrir, Mella, Ftayer, etc...).

"Batbout" bread is chewy (like Bagels), soft-crusted, pliable, delicately spongy and overall delicious. It is ideal for dipping into the savory sauces of "Tagines", scooping into any kind of dip or for making sadwiches/wraps.

Those Pita-like loaves are very versatile and will rejoice any gourmet eater in search of new gastronomic horizons to discover. With their pleasant as well as delicate flavor and their scrumptious texture, it will soon be impossible for you to plan any Middle-Eastern, Mediterranean or North African meal without including this flatbread as accompaniment!

Picture courtesy of Jessica Brogan.

~ Moroccan "Batbout M'Khamer" Bread ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums and highly inspired by Minouchkah at "Passion Culinaire" (France).

Makes 3 flatbreads.

Ingredients:
300g Plain white flour
100g Fine semolina (Durum Flour/Semolina Di Grano Duro)
1 1/4 Tsps salt
1 Package (7g) Dried yeast
300-320ml Water, lukewarm (not hot)

Method:
1. Sprinkle the yeast into the water in a bowl.
2. Stir to dissolve and leave for 5 minutes, until it becomes frothy.
3. In a big bowl, mix together the flour, semolina and salt.
4. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture.
5. Stir in the flour to form a stiff dough.
6. Knead for 8-10 minutes.
7. Divide the dough into 3 equal-sized pieces.
8. On a lightly floured (with Durum Flour) surface, roll out each piece to form a round 1cm (1/2 inch) thick.

9. Let rise, covered with a tea towel, for about 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until doubled in size.
10. Heat a frying pan or a griddle over medium heat, until very hot.
11. Place one of the dough rounds in the hot pan and cook on both sides until golden brown.
12. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds.
13. Let cool on a wire rack.

Remarks:
The dough should not be too sticky.
Add more water if it's too dry or more flour if it is too wet.
If you wish, you can add a little oil in the pan. It is not necessary, though.

Serving suggestions:
Eat those breads alone or with honey, "Hummus" (see recipe), "Baba Ganoush" (see recipe), "Lemony Beef And New Potato Tagine" (see recipe) or the dips/sauces of your choice (see my recipes).

***************

~ Batbout M'Khamer ~
Recette par Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums et fortement inspirée par Minouchkah de "Passion Culinaire" (France).

Pour 3 pains.

Ingrédients:
300g de Farine blanche/fleur
100g de Semoule très fine (Semolina Di Grano Duro)
1 1/4 CC de Sel
1 Paquet (7g) de Levure sèche
300-320ml d'Eau tiède (pas chaude/en dessous de 50° C)

Méthode:
1. Mettre l'eau tiède dans un bol et saupoudrer avec la levure.
2. Mélanger pour dissoudre et laisser reposer, à température ambiante, jusqu'à ce que le mélange devienne mousseux, pendant environ 5 minutes.
3. Mélanger la farine, la semoule et le sel.
4. Faire un puits et ajouter le mélange eau/levure.
5. Mélanger afin d'obtenir une pâte homogène et pas très collante.
6. Pétrir pendant 8-10 minutes.
7. Diviser la pâte 3 trois portions égales.
8. Sur une surface farinée (avec la semoule), rouler chaque morceau de pâte afin d'obtenir un rond de 1cm d'épaisseur, puis couvrir avec un linge.

9. Laisser lever, à température ambiante, jusqu'à ce que la pâte ait doublé de volume, pendant 1 1/2 - 2 heures.
10. Chauffer une poêle épaisse à feu moyen, jusqu'à ce qu'elle devienne très chaude.
11. Cuire des deux côtés, jusqu'à ce que vos pains soient joliment dorés.
12. Répéter l'opération avec les 2 autres pains.
13. Laisser refroidir sur une grille.

Remarques:
La pâte ne doit pas être trop collante.
Ajouter un peu plus d'esu si elle est trop sèche ou un peu de farine si elle est trop collante.
Vous pouvez ajouter un peu d'huile dans la poêle bien que ça soit pas vraiment nécessaire.

Idées de présentation:
Les "Batbouts" se dégustent nature, sucrés avec du miel, servis avec du "Hummus" (voir ma recette), du "Baba Ganoush" (voir ma recette), un "Tajine Marocain Au Boeuf, Pommes De Terre Nouvelles Et Citron Confit" (voir ma recette) ou les dips/sauces de votre choix (voir mes recettes).