North Africa · Street food
Mhadjeb (Flaky Semolina Crepes Filled with Spiced Onions and Tomatoes)
Tissue-thin, layered semolina crepes folded into neat parcels around a spicy, caramelized onion and sweet tomato filling.
The story
Mhadjeb (singular: Mahjouba) are Algeria's ultimate fast-food masterpiece, consumed hot from street-side planchas from Algiers to the northern gates of the Sahara. Traditionally prepared by women whose hands work semolina dough with rhythmic speed, the dish demands a high-gluten fine durum wheat that can be stretched so sheer you can read a newspaper through it without tearing. The classic stuffing, called 'tchektchouka', leans on the sweetness of slowly melted yellow onions sparked with harissa, providing a succulent interior contrast to the crispy, blistering exterior pastry.
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