Moroccan Msemen Flaky Squares (Printable)

Golden flaky squares with crisp layers, perfect warm with honey for breakfast or tea.

# What You'll 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

# How-To Steps:

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

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The crispy, flaky exterior shatters like glass, but inside stays tender and almost cloud-like.
  • You only need pantry staples and your hands, yet it tastes like something that took hours.
  • It's forgiving enough for beginners but impressive enough to serve to people you want to impress.
02 -
  • The dough must be oiled, not wet, or you'll slip around forever and never get the layers thin enough.
  • Don't skip the rest between stretching and frying; it makes the difference between chewy and crispy.
  • Your first one will probably be ugly and that's okay—by the third one you'll understand the rhythm.
03 -
  • Keep your oil and butter warm but not smoking; the temperature is what turns msemen golden rather than greasy.
  • If your dough tears while stretching, don't panic—fold it gently and it will fry just fine, almost like a more rustic version.
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