Msemen — Moroccan Layered Pancakes
Crispy, buttery Moroccan pancakes made from a simple dough, layered with butter and onions, then folded into golden squares. Serve warm with honey or savory fillings for breakfast or brunch.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 9g
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water, room temperature
- 6 tablespoons butter, softened, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons honey, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Pour 2 cups flour and 0.75 teaspoon salt into a large mixing bowl and stir them together with a fork until combined.
- 2
Pour 1 cup room-temperature water into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms with no dry flour visible.
- 3
Knead the dough in the bowl with your hands for 5 minutes, pressing it against the sides and folding it over itself repeatedly, until it feels smooth and slightly tacky, like a soft earlobe.
- 4
Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest at room temperature for 20 minutes so the gluten relaxes.
- 5
Peel the onion, cut it in half from root to tip, then place each half flat-side down and slice crosswise into thin rings about 1/8-inch thick.
- 6
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 45 seconds.
- 7
Add the onion slices to the hot oil and stir once every 30 seconds for 6 minutes until they turn soft and light golden at the edges.
- 8
Stir in 0.25 teaspoon black pepper, then transfer the onions to a small bowl and set aside to cool.
- 9
Divide the rested dough into 4 equal pieces by cutting it with a knife into quarters.
- 10
Lightly oil a clean work surface and place one dough piece on it, then use your oiled fingers to gently stretch it into a thin 8-inch square, like stretching a piece of taffy—it should be almost transparent.
- 11
Spread 1.5 tablespoons softened butter evenly across the entire stretched square, leaving a 0.5-inch border at the edges.
- 12
Scatter one quarter of the cooled onions over the buttered surface in an even layer.
- 13
Fold the top edge of the square down to the center, then fold the bottom edge up to the center, overlapping them slightly like closing a book.
- 14
Fold the left edge toward the center, then fold the right edge over to meet it, creating a small square packet about 4 inches on each side.
- 15
Repeat steps 10–14 with the remaining 3 dough pieces, butter, and onions.
- 16
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 60 seconds.
- 17
Carefully place one folded dough square into the hot oil seam-side down and fry for 3 minutes until the bottom turns deep golden brown and crispy.
- 18
Flip the msemen over with a spatula and fry the other side for 2 minutes until it also turns deep golden brown.
- 19
Transfer the cooked msemen to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- 20
Repeat steps 16–19 with the remaining 3 dough squares, using the final 1 tablespoon olive oil to fry them in batches.
- 21
Arrange the warm msemen on a serving plate and drizzle lightly with 3 tablespoons honey, or serve with honey on the side for dipping.
Tools you’ll need
- large mixing bowl
- fork
- kitchen towel
- medium skillet
- small bowl
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- 12-inch skillet
- rubber spatula
- paper towels
- serving plate
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