Mhajeb

There is food I eat to get comfort, and there is food I make to get comfort.

A friend phoned me this morning moaning about the school holidays, the weather, the children bored at home.

I said: Mhajeb! Make Mhajeb.

I don’t think she understood what I meant, but that is what I do.

There is no better than a Mhajeb dough to get your stress out .

I love to punch it..to stretch it ..to squeeze it and to pinch it.

I hold it firm, lift it high and then slap it back again onto the working surface.

At the end I oil my hand and stroke it.

From a sticky tough blob, it turns to a soft pleasant and manageable dough…That is how you deal with stress!

Method

Start by making the dough

Assemble flour, semolina salt and around a cup of water. Start kneading and adding water if it is too dry. It is along process as the dough should soften as a result of good kneading rather than extra moisture.

The dough needs to be very elastic.

Let the dough rest for at least one hour to reach the required elasticity.

During that time prepare the stuffing: “tchaktchouka”.

Start by frying the oil until soft, add tomato and seasoning and let it cook.

(This is of course a very basic “tchaktchouka”, feel free to twist: I added sliced fresh peppers, garlic, and other spices … can’t remember! And if you tolerate hot food, Harissa is a necessity!)

Let the tchaktchouka cool.

Form small balls.

!

Oil your hand and your working surface (keep doing this as long as necessary!)

Heat up your flat pan and reduce heat to medium.

Put 1 ball on the oiled surface.

Flatten and stretch on circular motion until the sheet is transparent thin

If it is not thin, it is baaaaad!

Fold one side. Spread some stuffing (around 1tbs)

Fold the three remaining sides to form a square!.

 Cook the two sides until golden (Allow small burns, it will just look more rustic)

Call your family and let them chat to you and eat as and when you are cooking. Make it a family gathering day.

My Mhajeb are never squares. Who cares? they taste good.