Algerian Farina Rolls Recipes

ALGERIAN M'HAJEB - TRADITIONAL FILLED PASTRY

Steps:

• Filling:.
• Slice the onions in fine rings. Slice the peppers into fine strips ( many people remove skin first) and fry together in a little olive oil until softened. (If using the hot pepper, de-skin then puree, add to the onions & peppers.) Add the puree, salt and pepper and cook covered, for approx 5 minutes or until soft and well flavoured. Set aside to cool.
• Pastry:.
• *To make the pastry, it's easiest if you have a mixer with a dough hook or a bread maker set on the dough setting.*.
• Mix the semolina and the flour in a mixer of place in the bread machine. Make a hollow in the centre, add a little salt and enough water to bring to a stiff dough. Knead well. Add a little more water, a bit at a time until the dough is finally a soft elastic consistency - this is usually around 8-10 minutes.
• Wehen the dough it nice and elastic, pull of pieces and roll into golf balls. The secret is to have EVERYTHING WELL OILED -- Oil your hands, the work surface and the m'rie or large skillet / chappati pan.
• Take a golf ball at a time and gently stretch out as thin as you can. It's easiest to do this on a well oiled work surface. If uyou get a few little holes, don't worry - you can patch them up and nobody will mind!
• Place a spoonful of filling in the centre and fold the edges in one at a time (left, right, top, bottom), to form a rough square shaped parcel. Fry until golden on both sides - you have to be very attentive here or they will burn!
• Any dough left over can be cooked plain and served with honey (great for suhor!).

MSEMMEN - ALGERIAN FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Make dough:.
• Stir together flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Slowly stir in water until a soft dough forms. If necessary, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting with just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes.
• Form dough into a ball and coat with 2 tablespoons oil in a bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough stand at warm room temperature 1 hour.
• Stir together cumin, paprika, turmeric, and remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl.
• Form flatbreads:.
• Divide dough into 12 equal pieces and, keeping remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap, flatten 1 piece of dough into a disk. Roll out disk as thinly as possible (into a 9-inch round) on a lightly floured surface with a 6-inch wooden dowel or a rolling pin. Spread 1 teaspoon spiced oil on dough with your fingertips, then roll up tightly into a long cylinder and coil into a tight spiral. Transfer to a large sheet of parchment paper, then loosely cover with plastic wrap.
• Make 11 more spirals in same manner.
• Finish and cook flatbreads:.
• Tape another sheet of parchment to a work surface and on it roll out 1 spiral of dough into a round approximately 6 inches in diameter. Heat a dry large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat until hot, then cook flatbread, turning once, until puffed and browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and cover with a kitchen towel. Roll out and cook 11 more flatbreads, stacking them on plate.
• Cook's notes:.
• • Flatbreads are best when freshly made but can be cooked 1 day ahead, then cooled and kept, wrapped in foil, at room temperature. Reheat (in foil) in a 350°F oven or in a steamer about 10 minutes.
• • Spirals of dough can be rolled out (but not cooked) 1 day ahead and chilled, layered between sheets of plastic wrap, then tightly wrapped, on a baking sheet. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

REZIKA'S CHEESE & POTATO BOUREK (ALGERIAN SPRING ROLLS)

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, check for seasoning - adjust if required. Allow the mixed filling to cool if the mash is hot.
• Fill & roll your bourek as follows:.
• Lay 1 spring roll sheet on your work surface & place 2 generous teaspoonfulls of the filling onto the sheet. You need to place it in a line approx 1" up from the bottom of the sheet & the line of filling should have a fraction over 1" of spring roll sheet visable on both the left & right side.
• Next bring the left side of the sheet over the filling - it will overlap the filling by about an inch. Do the same with the right side.
• Take the bottom of the sheet in both hands & pull it up so that it covers the line of filling.
• With a pastry brush or the back of a teaspoon, brush a small amount of the flour paste along the edges of the sheet.
• Now start to roll the bourek, be careful to keep it tight & even. When you have rolled it up securely, you can brush a tiny amount of the paste along the seam so that the bourek stays closed whilst it is being fried.
• Repeat these steps with the remaining spring roll sheets.
• Now you can either freeze the bourek or fry them in a little oil. Cook over a medium heat in batches, in a large frying pan / skiller & fry until a deep golden colour on all sides - turning as required!