A rose by any other name would smell as sweet…Moroccan hors d’oeuvres: Bessara and Matlouh

I’ve been cruising the net trying to find the right combo of courses for our Moroccan themed dinner party on Saturday; it’s not as easy as it sounds, there are so many interesting recipes and flavours, it’s difficult to choose. We found the main course and side first, then the desserts. Then I thought OMG, we need a soup! And the temperatures in Toronto have plummeted to a chilly 7°C overnight – great soup weather! And, last but not least i went scouring the net for hors d’œuvres.
This post is all about the hors d’œuvres. I was enamored by this recipe because it sounded like hummus, and I adore hummus. The flat bread reminded me of something my Mom used to make with ‘leftover’ bread dough, Langos (pronounced langosh, it’s a traditional Hungarian pan-fried flat bread). Plus, it has so many names…I knew it was the one for us! I have linked the original recipes in their titles. It is rather odd to make this flat bread using a food processor, but it does seem to work, and the dough is not too heavy to bog down the processor’s motor. It’s a chewy, tasty bread, something like Naan. Of course, my alteration is the substitution of two to one all-purpose flour to whole wheat flour. (it had to be done).

Batbout or Matlouh or Mkhamer or Toghrift or Matlou with Bessara
aka Moroccan Flat Bread with Fava Bean Dip

Batbout or Matlouh or Mkhamer or Toghrift or Matlou (Moroccan Flat Bread)

Batbout and Bassara

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm (not hot) water
• 1 tablespoon herb (I did not add this)

Directions:

1. Combine all the dry ingredients in the food processor by giving them a whirl of the blades.
2. Stop the machine and add the water all at once. Close the machine and mix until the dough forms a ball of slighly sticky dough. Add more water by the tablespoon if you find your ball of dough is a bit tough. You want a very supple, soft dough.
3. Divide the dough in 4 balls. Oil them well with good quality, peppery olive oil and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
4. There are a complex number of rolling steps which my source describes wonderfully with photos. Here is my simplified version:
5. Flatten each ball to a rectangle about 1/2cm thick, fold in the long sides (like a business letter, she describes!) Flatten a bit more with your fingers and then roll it up like a small, tight jelly roll. Punch down the top and allow to rise another 30 minutes. I covered with EVOO and plastic wrap and put them in the fridge overnight (a trick to slow down the yeast so I can make the bread when I have more time tomorrow).
6. Pre heat your cast iron pan to very hot for about 15 minutes. We have natural gas, so it didn’t take as long.
7. Bring the rolled up dough balls to room temperature. Once at room temperature flatten to a large circle about a 1/2cm thick – this bread will thicken slightly in the pan. Oil generously (I would switch to an oil with a higher flash point, like peanut or grape seed). Fry both sides until cooked through and golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/saladsandsidedishes/r/Bessara_Recipe.htm

Bessara

This is a slightly soupier dip than hummus. You can even thin it down and serve it as a soup!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups canned fava beans (also known as Broad Beans)
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/3 cup olive oil (I used chipotle oil oil for a bit of a kick!)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons vegetable stock, as required
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, lightly roasted
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne pepper (I omitted since I used the chipotle olive oil).
• For garnish, mix a small amount of roasted cumin, paprika, chopped cilantro. Drizzle with EVOO.

Directions:

1. Put beans into a food processor, add garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of vegetable stock and spices.
2. Process on high speed until smooth, adding additional liquid if necessary to thin the Bessara. It should be thin enough to pour or spread out on a plate. Taste the Bessara and adjust the seasoning if desired.
3. To serve, heat until warm and serve with the flat bread above. Garnish the Bessera with any of the following: ground cumin, paprika, hot paprika, EVOO, or chopped parsley.

Read Full Post »