North Africa · Side
Taguella (Sand- and Ash-Baked Wheat Flatbread)
The ancient Tuareg hearth bread baked directly under ember-heated desert sands, yielding a smoky crust and tender crumb.
The story
Deep in the southwestern Fezzan region of Libya, Taguella is the life-sustaining hearth bread of the semi-nomadic Tuareg and Tebu pastoralists. Designed for life in the hyper-arid Sahara where metal ovens are impossible to transport, this unleavened disc is buried directly beneath pristine, fire-heated sand and charcoal embers. A skilled maker knows precisely when the crust has formed an impenetrable ceramic-like barrier, preventing sand particles from invading the tender, steaming crumb within.
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