Traditional Msemmen Berber Bread

Instructions

Mix the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar together. Add the egg and with your hands mix together. Add ½ to ¾ cup warm water little by little until it forms a ball. It shouldn’t be sticky. If it is, add more flour.

Knead and stretch the dough until moist, smooth and elastic, 5 minutes. Brush with vegetable oil. With you thumb and index finger, form the dough into 8 balls a little larger than golf balls. Place on an oiled baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let rest 15 minutes.

Working with one ball at a time, stretch the dough into a circle until you can see the counter through it. Sprinkle lightly with semolina. Fold the circle into thirds by folding one third of the dough towards the cents and folding the opposite side over it to make a long rectangle. Fold in the two ends so once again it is folded into thirds to make a square. Sprinkle with semolina. Brush with oil and let rest 15 minutes.

Oil the work surface and press the dough out so that it is 3 times the size of the original square. Preheat a non-stick pan on medium high heat and place the msemmen in the pan. Turn it over again and again until it is golden on each side, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Makes 8 breads