Sunday, October 16, 2011

Batbout m'khamer - Moroccan Pita for World Bread Day

Batbout m'khamer or simply batbout or m'khamer also knwn as toghrift or matlou is Moroccan style Pita. Its chewy and thick ,a bit spongy and is used with grilled meats or for mopping up gravies. Like pita, it is a  simple yeasted flatbread which can be cooked stove top as well. I have adapted mine from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian and it was perfect with Moroccan style Potato stew. 

Ingredients:
Active Dry/Instant Yeast: 1 tsp
Sugar: 1/2 tsp
Warm Water: 2 tbsp + 1/2 cup or more as needed

All Purpose Flour: 1 cup
Semolina : 1 cup
Salt: 1.5 tsp

Preparation:
Combine yeast,sugar and 2 tbsp warm water and stir well so that the yeast is not clumped together but dissolves. Keep aside for about 5 minutes till it becomes frothy.

Meanwhile mix together the flour and fine semolina along with salt and make a well in it. Add in the yeast solution and another 1/2 cup of water and gather together to form a dough. Add the water accordingly and start with around 6 tbsp so that it does not become too wet.

Once the dough is formed,knead it well till smooth and elastic. Grease a platter/baking sheet with oil and keep near.Also oil your hands before handling the dough. Break the dough into small pieces and shape each piece into a small ball using greased hands and place in the baking sheet. Cover with a plastic wrap or tea towel and let it rest for about 5-10 minutes.

Grease a counter top or work space with oil - also if using your rolling pin as well. Take a ball, slightly flatten it within hands and then gently roll it out to a circle/disc with the greased rolling pin. Keep this on the baking sheet and continue the same proces with remaining balls as well. Keep the balls separately in the baking sheet and let them rest and increase for a hour atleast covered with a plastic wrap.

Keep a cast iron tava/frying pan over medium flame  and let it get very hot. Take a flatbread and place it on the tava. Cook it for about 1 minute and then flip to the other side till it starts browning with spots on top. Before removing the cooked bread from the pan,take it within hands and rotating it like a wheel, try to brown the edges as well. Repeat for all the discs and keep the cooked breads covered within a towel or foil so that they remain warm till serving time. 


Serve with your choice of sides - like meat or gravies or salad. I served it with a simple Moroccan style potato stew which I adapted from the same book. I will be posting the recipe later.



A chewy pita like bread which is very filling. I also halved it and served it sandwiched with a cheese slice. Simple and delicious. The bread is perfect for World Bread Day today on October 16th, an event by Zorra of Kochtopf which has been going on religiously for the past 5 years and is into 6th this year.

7 Comments:

Simplyfood said...

These look perfect.

AJ said...

Looks really wonderful!!

Tina said...

delicious pita..

Suma Rowjee said...

Trust you to not come up with something Mediterranean for WBD!:)) Looks great Sweatha! Should try sometime!

Priya Suresh said...

WOnderful looking moroccan pita bread, love to have some sandwich with it..

Cham said...

The bread is perfect for sandwich! Nice entry!

zorra said...

Not a good idea to see this post before midday. Now I am hungry! :-) Thank you for participating in World Bread Day 2011.

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