Moroccan Msemen Flaky Pastry (Printable)

Flaky Moroccan Msemen features tender layers and a crisp exterior, served warm and sweetened with honey.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup fine semolina
03 - 1 teaspoon sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 1/4 cups warm water (more as needed)
06 - 1 teaspoon instant yeast (optional)

→ Shaping and Frying

07 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
09 - 1/4 cup fine semolina

→ For Serving

10 - Honey, warmed

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, semolina, sugar, salt, and instant yeast if using. Gradually add warm water while mixing until a soft, smooth dough forms. Knead for 10 minutes until elastic, then cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
02 - Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Grease your hands and work surface with vegetable oil.
03 - Flatten one dough ball into a thin, almost translucent circle using oiled hands. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with semolina, fold sides inward to form a square, brushing each fold with butter and sprinkling more semolina as you fold.
04 - Repeat with remaining dough balls. Allow the folded squares to rest for 5 minutes.
05 - Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly brush with oil. Flatten each square gently to about 1/4 inch thick. Fry each msemen square for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and flaky, adding more oil as needed.
06 - Serve warm, drizzled generously with honey.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The shatteringly crisp exterior gives way to tender, buttery layers that feel like you're eating edible gold leaf.
  • It comes together faster than you'd expect, turning simple pantry staples into something that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
  • Warm honey pooling into the cracks is one of those moments that reminds you why cooking matters.
02 -
  • Oil on your hands and work surface is not optional; it's what prevents frustration and makes the stretching actually enjoyable instead of a wrestling match with the dough.
  • The dough needs to be stretched thin enough to almost tear, not just pressed flat—this is what creates those thousand shattering layers.
  • If you skip resting between stretching and frying, the squares will deflate or refuse to crisp properly; patience here pays off dramatically.
03 -
  • If your kitchen is cold, the dough becomes sluggish; warm your bowl and work surface slightly, or let the dough rest longer between steps.
  • The moment you smell the butter toasting in the pan, you're seconds away from perfect; remove the msemen any darker and you've crossed into bitter.
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