Lien is our kitchen-of-the-month, and she has chosen a Moroccan Flat Bread (Rghaïf) as our challenge. Rghaïf is a common street food in Morocco, and often eaten at breakfast or tea time. We were warned that they were a bit tricky to make. So of course, in usual fashion, I set about making them at the last minute.
At the risk of sounding like a pompous arse, I'm gonna go ahead and put this out there - I actually found these super simple to make. Making them is basically like making flour tortillas, except that you have to stretch and roll them thinner; paper-thin, actually. And in case you were wondering, yes, they taste like a tortilla, too. A thick, layered tortilla, but still a tortilla.
Another thing that I found helpful was to drizzle a tiny amount, just a thin sheen, of olive oil onto my work surface before putting the dough down. It was as if my dough was gliding into place as I worked it thinner and thinner. From start (making the dough) to finish (eating the bread), it took about 2 hours or so.
Rghaïf (Moroccan Flat Bread)
by
Prep Time: 20-30 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes (each)
Keywords: bread nut-free soy-free sugar-free vegetarian Moroccan
- 250 grams all-purpose flour
- 2.75 grams active dry yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 125-155 ml lukewarm water
- 25 ml olive oil, more as needed
- Mozzarella or another cheese (preferably a fresh white cheese that is a bit salty, or a melty white cheese)
- sweet chili jam
- thinly sliced meats
Instructions
Combine flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer. Add the smaller amount of water and start kneading (by hand or with dough hook), adding the rest of the water if needed, until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should not stick to the sides of the bowl at all.
You can also do this in the pan of a bread machine, set to dough cycle, but I would add the ingredients in this order: water, salt, flour, yeast. Let dough cycle do it's job, then remove from machine and turn off.
The dough does NOT need to proof/rise. The small amount of yeast in the dough is added to help with elasticity and texture...plus it adds a bit of flavor.
Divide the dough into 5 equal pieces (~80 grams each). Roll each piece into a ball and rub with a thin layer of olive oil. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, while you clear yourself a large work surface.
Pour a small drizzle of olive oil onto your work surface and set one dough ball down. Press flat with your hands, and gently roll the dough out as thin as you can get it without ripping. Now gently use your fingers to lift and stretch the dough out as far as you can. You want it to be paper-thin (or thinner).
If you want to fill them, do so at this point by scattering with some cheese and/or meat, or spreading with a bit of jam.
Fold the dough into a square(-ish) parcel by folding each of the four edges towards the center. Set each one aside onto a parchment-lined sheet tray while you form the rest.
Set a cast-iron (or other heavy) skillet over medium heat. Once it is hot, but just before it starts to smoke, turn the heat down just a smidge. Brush with a thin coat of olive oil (I just dribble some on and move it around with a paper towel). Set a dough parcel (or two - depending on the size of your pan) onto the pan and cook, flipping halfway through, for a total of about 6 minutes. You could also deep fry them as they do in Southern Morocco, if you wish.
I think that they taste best served warm. The cheese-filled ones are amazing when you spread them with some sweet chili jelly (though I bet spicy jelly would be equally awesome).
You could also drizzle with chocolate sauce or syrup made from honey and butter; the possibilities are endless.
-adapted from Vrijdag Couscousdag by Rachida Ahali
- Bake My Day - Karen
- blog from OUR kitchen - Elizabeth
- Bread Experience - Cathy
- Feeding my Enthusiasms - Pat/Elle
- girlichef - Heather
- Life's a Feast - Jamie
- Living in the Kitchen with Puppies - Natashya
- Lucullian Delights - Ilva
- My Diverse Kitchen - Aparna
- My Kitchen In Half Cups - Tanna
- Notitie Van Lien - Lien
- Thyme for Cooking - Katie (Bitchin’ Bread Baking Babe Bibliothécaire)
The Bread Baking Buddies are: YOU!
So which Babe is the hosting kitchen this month? That would be Lien at Notitie Van Lien, if you'd like to join in, simply make Rghaïf (yes, you may adapt) - and then send Lien your link (info in her announcement post). Submissions are due by February 28th. Once you've posted, you'll receive a Buddy badge for baking along. I hope you'll join us this month!
I am sharing this post with Susan's Yeastspotting!
Come join the Fabulous Flatbread Challenge at Rachel Cooks sponsored by United Dairy Industry of Michigan — Win prizes!
