Smoked Flour Msemen with Preserved Lemon and Saffron Recipe

Ingredients
Equipment
Directions
FAQs
Find answers to your most pressing questions about this delicious recipe right here.
This Moroccan flatbread requires all-purpose flour, semolina flour, wood chips (apple or hickory), salt, sugar, yeast, preserved lemons, saffron threads, olive oil, and butter. The combination creates a uniquely smoky, aromatic bread with layers of complex flavour.
Learn how to cook Smoked Flour Msemen with Preserved Lemon and Saffron by first smoking your flour, then creating a dough with saffron water and preserved lemon. After resting, stretch the dough into thin sheets, fold in a specific pattern to create layers, then cook on a hot griddle until golden brown and slightly puffy. The result is a flaky, flavourful flatbread.
The distinctive flakiness in msemen comes from the special folding technique and the use of fat between layers. By stretching the dough extremely thin, then folding it multiple times with oil and butter between layers, you create dozens of delicate sheets that puff and separate during cooking.
Yes, you can skip the smoking process for a more traditional msemen. While smoking adds a distinctive aromatic quality, authentic msemen can be made with regular flour. Simply follow the same folding and cooking techniques for equally delicious, albeit less smoky, results.
Msemen pairs beautifully with both sweet and savoury accompaniments. Traditionally, Moroccans enjoy it with honey or jam for breakfast, or with soft cheese and mint tea. It also works wonderfully with hearty stews, as a wrap for grilled meats, or dipped in olive oil with za'atar.
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