North Africa · Breakfast
Baghrir (Semolina Honeycomb Thousand-Hole Pancakes)
Lacy, spongy semolina pancakes riddled with delicate honeycomb bubbles, saturated in warm orange blossom honey and melted butter.
The story
Prepared across every Moroccan household, Baghrir—fondly termed the thousand-hole crêpe—is an indispensable staple of Ramadan sunset tables and festive breakfasts. The batter is cooked exclusively on one side, forcing carbon dioxide bubbles upwards to form a perforated sponge designed to trap melted sauce. Crucially, traditional cooks cool the bottom of the skillet with a damp towel between every single pancake to reset pan temperature, ensuring instant aeration before the base can brown.
Cook this next
Harira (Classic Moroccan Tomato, Lentil, and Chickpea Soup)
A velvety, herb-loaded tomato soup studded with tender beef, chickpeas, and lentils, thickened with spiced tadouira.
Hsoua d'Smida (Fine Semolina Soup with Wild Thyme and Milk)
A soothing, velvet-textured Berber semolina soup perfumed with mountain thyme, bruised anise seeds, rich olive oil, and warmed whole milk.
Khlea (Spiced Dried Beef Preserved in Tallow)
Succulent strips of cured, sun-dried beef gently confited in spiced tallow and olive oil, delivering deep savory richness.
Msemen (Flaky Laminated Moroccan Square Flatbreads)
Golden, multi-layered square semolina flatbreads with a crisp exterior and chewy, laminated honeycomb interior.