Mhajeb (Savoury Msemen)

The appeal of Honey Msemen is obvious. Moist and crunchy squares of dough doused with honey and butter ; who wouldn't crave it ?

Well, I'd take Mhajebs -which are savoury, stuffed Msemen- over sweet Msemens any day.

I confess I don't have a sweet tooth, but there's more to it : a hidden treasure lies in this simple stuffed bread recipe.

Even though I should have known what to expect, having bought them from street vendors during my childhood, I was still amazed by how a little ball of dough, with a rather simple stuffing -no cheese, no quick cheats- could turn how so tasty. And I mean can't-stop-eating tasty ; both my companion and I had to refrain from eating them all in one sitting.

Usually, you'd find two Mhajeb versions, be it from street vendors or in North African households :

• a Kefta Mhajeb version, with minced meat (beef and/or lamb), onions, a few spices and bell pepper. I chose to add olives instead, because olives + spicy minced meat = Happiness ;
• a Tomato & onion Mhajeb version, containing just this : tomato and onion. You can customize it with a few spices and/or harissa, which I did, but none too many ; we want the tomato and onion to shine. As with most of the greatest recipes, the simpler, the better.

Don't underestimate the sheer power of the tomato & onion Mhajeb. I think our veggie friends will be impressed. Besides, it's probably the most popular Mhajeb version, from what I saw on street markets and in Arabic bakeries. It's impressive how it rivals the more elaborate Kefta Mhajeb : I honestly cannot tell which version I prefer.

Mhajeb (Savoury Msemen) - Recipe

Ingredients - Advice & key points

• Check out my initial Honey Msemen recipe for all needed instructions on the dough, which are instrumental in the success of your Mhajebs.
• The folding process for the dough is almost the same as in the recipe linked above, except that, after folding down your Msemen for the first time, you will add a rectangle of filling right in the center of your dough.
  • Don't overdo it, or you won't be able to close it ; a little goes a long way ;
  • Carefully bring up your bottom Msemen part, and seal the top of the rectangle as properly as possible.
  • Then proceed as you would for a plain Msemen !
• Unlike Honey Msemen, those have a filling : whereas you can afford to have some holes in your plain Msemens, you cannot have any holes here, at least not on the central part, where your filling is.

Cooking & Serving your Mhajebs

• Msemen are quite quick to cook ; use a hot pan -ideally heavy, but a nonstick one works great, too- and pan-fry ~2 minutes per side !
• Mhajebs pair really well with a simple salad made out of thinly cubed cucumber, tomatoes and onion, seasoned with olive oil and a large squeeze of lemon.
• As for the leftovers policy :
  • Those Msemen, once cooked, will keep just fine in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. Then simply reheat them again in a hot pan, ~2 minutes per side.
  • If planning to eat them at a later date, keep your leftovers into your freezer (in a plastic bag, in a Tupperware...) To reheat it, simply let it thaw or reheat straight into your skillet.