Mhadjeb (Algerian Stuffed Flatbread)

About This Recipe

Mhadjeb (also written m'hadjeb or mahjouba) is one of the most beloved street foods of Algeria, especially in Algiers and the central plains. A simple semolina dough is stretched paper-thin on an oiled surface, folded around a slow-cooked filling of grated tomato, sautéed onion, and red pepper spiked with cumin and harissa, then folded into a square envelope and griddled on a hot plancha until crackling-crisp on the outside while the filling stays jammy and warm. Sold from carts in markets and at the entrance to bus stations, mhadjeb is the original Algerian fast food — cheap, vegetarian, deeply flavored, and always eaten with one's hands. Home cooks make it during Ramadan in particular, where it accompanies harira at iftar.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 500 gfine semolina (smida), plus extra for dusting
• 1 tspfine salt
• 300 mlwarm water, approximately
• 120 mlneutral oil, for stretching
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 2 largeyellow onions, finely diced
• 1red bell pepper, finely diced
• 4 largeripe tomatoes, grated (skins discarded)
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspsweet paprika
• 1 tspharissa paste
• 1 tspfine salt, for the filling
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 2 tbspfresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dough

   Combine semolina and salt in a large bowl. Add warm water gradually, kneading 8–10 minutes until you have a very soft, sticky dough — softer than bread dough. Cover and rest 30 minutes.

2. 2

   Cook the filling

   Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium. Sweat the onions with a pinch of salt for 12 minutes until very soft and pale gold. Add the red pepper and cook 5 more minutes.

3. 3

   Add tomato

   Stir in the grated tomatoes, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, harissa, salt, and pepper. Simmer uncovered 20–25 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture is thick and almost paste-like with no free liquid.

   If the filling is wet, the mhadjeb will steam and tear — cook it down further.

4. 4

   Cool the filling

   Stir in the parsley and spread the filling on a plate to cool to room temperature. This is critical — hot filling will melt through the dough.

5. 5

   Divide and oil

   Divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Pour the neutral oil onto a smooth work surface and into a bowl. Roll each ball in oil to coat thoroughly.

6. 6

   Stretch ultra-thin

   Working with one ball at a time, press and stretch the dough on the oiled surface with your palms into a 30 cm square so thin you can almost see through it. Don't worry about small tears — the fold will hide them.

7. 7

   Fill and fold

   Place 2 generous tablespoons of cooled filling in a horizontal strip across the center of the dough. Fold the top third down, the bottom third up, then fold in the sides to form a 12 cm square envelope, filling fully enclosed.

8. 8

   Griddle

   Heat a dry heavy skillet or plancha over medium-high. Cook each mhadjeb 2–3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until golden, blistered, and crisp. Serve hot, cut in half on the diagonal.

Variations

• •

  Mhadjeb with merguez: tuck a few slices of cooked merguez into the filling for a meat version.

• •

  Mhadjeb b'jben: add a tablespoon of soft fresh cheese over the filling before folding.

• •

  Sweet mhadjeb (rare): skip the filling and fold dough with a teaspoon of honey and orange-blossom water inside.

Storage

Best eaten fresh off the pan. Reheat leftovers wrapped in foil in a 180°C oven for 8 minutes — don't microwave, they go limp.

Frequently Asked Questions