Msemen is a fairly flaky, square shaped crispy Moroccan pancake (Rghaif) or flatbread that’s made from a combination of plain wheat flour and semolina. It is eaten for breakfast and also in the evenings with Moroccan Mint Tea (or coffee), and as you’ll see in a bit, can be eaten in so many different ways.
But before we go any further, let’s learn to pronounce it first, shall we?
Phonetically: Mʊs – sɜː – mɜːn with the emphasis on the first syllable (Mʊs)
OR
Muss (like puss) Sir (silent “r”) Mon (like the end of common)
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s take a look at a few interesting tidbits on this much loved pancake found not only in Morocco, but also in the other Maghreb countries.
- The word Msemen means “oiled” in Arabic and you’ll see that it fits perfectly here, as we do use quite a bit of oil in the preparing and the cooking.
- It very closely resembles a South Indian flatbread I grew up with in Singapore and Malaysia, which is called Roti Prata in Singapore and Roti Canai in Malaysia. Roti Prata is also commonly eaten for breakfast but we have it with curry although kids love it with sugar and honey. On my last trip back, I found out that these days, there are all sorts of fillings and toppings, including, heaven help me, chocolate!
- So Msemen is square shaped; make it round and it’s called Meloui! Interesting much?
- I love that it can be served in so many different ways, with honey, butter, sugar and/or cream cheese. A good one for kids is to spread some cream cheese on one mesmen, top with another, then cut this sandwich into little triangles.
- Another fact I love about Msemen is that it can also be stuffed and cooked differently, with beef, chicken, vegetables or cheese, the list is in fact as short as your imagination. One of my favourite during our last stay in Morocco was the Rghaif that was cooked in chilli oil. That was just awesome! All recipes coming soon!
Before we left to travel in summer last year, my kids and I had got into the habit of making some sort of flatbread every weekend, they love cooking and trying out new things, more so now after 4 months of travelling and visiting/living in 6 countries. These North African flatbreads are some of their favourites because they’re meant to be eaten with honey! For a kid, it doesn’t really get any better than that, I suppose.
Step by Step pictures for making Msemen
- All the dry ingredients
- Pre kneading
- Smooth Kneaded Dough
- Oiled dough balls resting
- Flattening out
- Flattened Msemen dough
- With butter, first fold
- 2nd fold
- 3rd fold
- Final fold
- Close up of folds
- Final resting
- Frying in pan
- Puffing up slightly
- Msemen, Moroccan crispy flatbread
Tips on getting the best Msemen
Taste is very personal, you always hear me say. So for starters, the amount of semolina used is a matter of preference. I use only a small amount, for just a little bit of bite and texture, but feel free to play around with the ratio after the first time. In fact, I know many Moroccans who don’t use semolina in the dough at all, just for the sprinkling.
Msemen is best eaten hot or warm. It’s slightly flaky when warm but chewy when cold. To warm up, just pop it back in a pan or griddle with a little oil for a minute on each side.
Butter and semolina between the layers help keep the layers distinct, much like in a croissant. The butter is optional, I don’t always use it but the semolina is a must, it adds a lovely texture.
The more oil you use when cooking, the fluffier the msemen because it rises during cooking. Less oil gives a stiffer bread/pancake. We’re talking 2 tbsp compared to say just 2 tsp.
You’ll find more Moroccan recipes on the North African and Middle Eastern page:
Or check out my latest series here on LinsFood, the Tagine Masterclass, where we’ll learn to make all sorts of tagine recipes:
Msemen is a fairly flaky, crispy Moroccan pancake (Rghaif) or flatbread that’s made from a combination of plain wheat flour and semolina.
Msemen, square shaped Moroccan Panacake
Ingredients
Instructions
Nutrition information
This bread is so good. I just spent 2 weeks in Morocco and had it every day. Now that I am home I wanted to find the recipe so I could make it at home.
My kids are exactly the same, whenever we visit, that’s all hey want to eat! Good luck and have fun!
Haha I am glad you explained the pronunciation, as soon as I came across it the first thing I thought was ‘how do I say it’. It sounds so good, and now I know how to pronounce I have to try it out!
I totally agree, need to know how to say what you’re eating!
Wow – this looks delicious. I love flat breads. I don’t think I’ve ever had a Moroccan flat bread before, I’ll be making this soon.
this sounds really good, could I sub the regular wheat flour for another?and the regular sugar for coconut sugar?
i really would love to make this.
I know very little about Moroccan food, so I really appreciate it that you take the time to explain the origin for this dish and the many ways in which it’s eaten. I can’t wait to try this; it truly sounds like the perfect afternoon snack.
Well this is interesting! As bit similar to “pate feuilleté” or flaky dough technique with the 3 times folding process. Except with this one, it’s oil! I’ll give it a try for sure.
this looks so delicious I cannot wait to make it. I’m always looking for new flavors from across the globe and this fits the bill perfectly
hi! is it possible to make a few steps on a Friday morning and then finish on a Sunday? if so where can I stop and start again in the recipe?
thanks in advance!
Hi Kelly, any dough with yeast in it can theoretically be kept in the fridge for about 3 days. The cold temperature will dramatically reduce the rising, in effect, putting the yeast to sleep. It will still rise but by very little.
My suggestion would be to place in the fridge, covered in a plastic wrap after step 5, before the first rise.
However, you do have to keep an eye on it. If it is rising, all you need to do is just knock it down with your fist.
If no one is going to be around in that time, just place the dough in a large bowl, cover with cling film and leave it in the fridge, giving it enough space incase the dough does get too active despite the cold.
I hope that helps. Good luck!
I must try this .. The addition of semolina is very interesting. Great recipe! Nice to learn something.
Thank you Shana, let me know how it goes.