Kefta Msakhen Wraps (Moroccan Spiced Meatball Wraps)

About This Recipe

This wrap takes kefta, Morocco's spiced ground meat mixture usually found simmered in a tomato tagine or grilled on skewers, and turns it into a portable lunch rolled inside flatbread. The kefta mixture is seasoned generously with cumin, paprika, cilantro and parsley before being shaped into small logs and pan-seared until charred outside and juicy within. Wrapped with a smear of harissa-spiked mayonnaise, crisp lettuce, tomato and pickled vegetables, the whole thing is rolled tight and pressed briefly on a hot pan, echoing the format of Moroccan street-food sandwiches sold from small stalls.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gground beef or lamb
• 1onion(grated and squeezed dry)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1/4 cupchopped cilantro
• 2 tbspchopped parsley
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tsppaprika
• 1/2 tspcinnamon
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 2 tbspolive oil(for cooking)
• 4khobz or pita breads
• 1/3 cupmayonnaise
• 1 tbspharissa
• 1 cupshredded lettuce
• 1tomato(sliced)
• 1/4 cuppickled vegetables(sliced)

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the meat

   Mix ground meat with grated onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, paprika, cinnamon and salt until well combined.

2. 2

   Shape

   Shape the mixture into small logs, about the size of a finger.

3. 3

   Cook

   Heat olive oil in a skillet and cook the kefta logs 6-8 minutes, turning, until browned all over and cooked through.

4. 4

   Make the sauce

   Stir harissa into the mayonnaise.

5. 5

   Warm the bread

   Warm the khobz or pita briefly on a dry skillet.

6. 6

   Assemble

   Spread harissa mayo on the bread, then layer with lettuce, tomato, pickled vegetables and the cooked kefta.

7. 7

   Roll and press

   Roll or fold the wrap tightly, then press seam-side down on a hot dry skillet for a minute to seal.

   Pressing the seam briefly keeps the wrap from unrolling when you bite into it.

Variations

• •

  A version with a fried egg tucked inside is a popular addition at Moroccan sandwich stalls.

• •

  Swap ground lamb for beef, or use a mix of both for a richer flavor.

• •

  Add crumbled feta or a spoonful of Moroccan-style pickled lemon for extra tang.

Storage

Cooked kefta keeps refrigerated up to 3 days; assemble fresh wraps rather than storing them pre-rolled, as the bread softens quickly once filled.

Frequently Asked Questions