Jachnun is one of Israel's most extraordinary breakfast dishes — a Yemenite Jewish tradition brought to Israel in the 1950s. Layered dough smeared with clarified butter or margarine is rolled tightly and slow-baked overnight in a sealed pot, emerging in the morning deeply caramelised, tender and intensely flavoured. It is served with grated raw tomato, a hard-boiled egg cooked alongside it, and zhug (Yemenite hot sauce).
Serves 6
Mix flour, baking powder, salt and honey. Add warm water gradually to form a soft, pliable dough. Knead 5 minutes. Rest covered 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 6 balls. Stretch each ball on an oiled surface as thin as possible without tearing.
Spread each sheet generously with soft butter or margarine. Fold in the sides and roll tightly into a log.
Arrange rolls tightly in a greased oven-safe pot with a tight lid. Nestle uncracked eggs between them. Seal with foil under the lid. Bake at 100°C overnight (8–10 hours).
In the morning, remove jachnun — they will be golden-brown and caramelised. Serve with grated raw tomato seasoned with garlic and salt, and the slow-cooked eggs.
Stretch the dough as thin as you can — thin layers create the laminated texture.
The sealed overnight bake at very low heat is essential — don't rush it.
Margarine (not butter) is traditional in Yemenite-Jewish cooking to keep it pareve (non-dairy).
Taste and adjust salt at the very end — flavors concentrate as liquids reduce, and a final pinch of flaky salt sharpens the whole dish.
Add a smear of date honey (silan) to the dough before rolling for a sweeter version.
Bake in a slow cooker on low for 8 hours as a practical alternative.
Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.
Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.
Jachnun keeps refrigerated for 2 days. Reheat in a warm oven at 150°C for 15 minutes.
Jachnun was brought to Israel by Yemenite Jewish immigrants in the late 1940s and 1950s. It is traditionally made on Friday evening and eaten on Saturday morning, as the long bake fits the Shabbat prohibition on cooking.
Yes — arrange rolls in the slow cooker, add eggs, seal tightly and cook on low for 8 hours. Results are excellent.
Yes — most of the components can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated separately. Reheat gently and assemble just before serving so textures stay distinct.
Stay close to the role each ingredient plays: swap aromatics for similar ones (shallot for onion, lime for lemon), and keep the fat-acid-salt balance intact. Spice blends can usually be approximated with what's in the cupboard.
Authenticity sits on a spectrum — what matters more is honoring the technique and balance of flavors. If the dish tastes harmonious and respects how cooks in its home region would build it, you're on solid ground.
Per serving · 6 servings total
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