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Matlouk

In Algeria they sometimes bake it on a griddle or skillet, but that didn’t work well for me.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 1 9-inch loaf

Ingredients

1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
Pinch of sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups fine semolina
1 egg yolk

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Dissolve the yeast in half the water and add a pinch of sugar. Leave to rest for 10 minutes, until it froths.

    Step 2

    In a bowl, sprinkle the salt over the semolina and add the yeast mixture. Work it in with your hand and add the remaining water gradually, adding just enough so that the dough sticks together in a ball. Pour a drop of oil in the bottom of the bowl and turn the dough in it so that it is greased all over.

    Step 3

    Knead vigorously for 10 minutes in the bowl or on a board. Then roll into a ball and flatten with your hands into a round about 9 inches in diameter. Place it on an oiled baking sheet lightly dusted with cornmeal or semolina. Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in bulk.

    Step 4

    Brush the top with egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water and bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 30 minutes, or until the bread is brown and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom.

Cover of Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Easter Food, featuring a blue filigree bowl filled with Meyer lemons and sprigs of mint.
Reprinted with permission from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, copyright © 2000 by Claudia Roden, published by Knopf. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
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