Moroccan Msemen Flaky Pastry (Printable Page)

Flaky Moroccan Msemen squares pan-fried to golden crisp and served warm 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 (add 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

# Steps:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour, semolina, sugar, salt, and instant yeast if used. Gradually add warm water, mixing until a soft, smooth dough is formed. Knead for 10 minutes until elastic. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
02 - Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Grease your hands and work surface with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
03 - Flatten one dough ball into a thin, almost translucent circle using oiled hands. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle semolina over it, then fold the sides inward to form a square. Brush each fold with butter and add more semolina as you fold.
04 - Repeat the folding process with the remaining dough balls and allow all 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 thickness. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until golden brown and flaky, adding oil as needed.
06 - Serve the pastries warm, drizzled generously with honey.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast of shattering crispy exterior giving way to impossibly tender, buttery layers is genuinely addictive.
  • It tastes like you've spent hours in the kitchen, but the actual hands-on time is barely 30 minutes.
  • Serving it warm with honey dripping down the sides never fails to make a moment feel special, whether it's just for yourself or a crowd.
02 -
  • The dough needs to be stretchy but not sticky; if it's too wet, your folded squares will stick together and fry unevenly—add a bit more flour, but do it gradually.
  • Don't skip the resting periods; rushing this recipe is the difference between eating pastry and eating actual msemen.
  • The oil temperature matters more than you'd think—medium heat means you get flaky layers instead of a greasy sponge.
03 -
  • Keep your oil at a gentle medium temperature; too hot and the outside burns before the inside crisps, too cool and you end up with a greasy sponge.
  • The melted butter makes all the difference—it shouldn't be piping hot or it'll cook the dough before it hits the pan, and it shouldn't be room temperature or the layers won't form properly, so aim for that warm-to-hot middle ground.
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