Meloui Moroccan Layered Pancakes (Print)

Buttery, flaky Moroccan pancakes with honey or jam for breakfast.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup (120 g) fine semolina
03 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt
04 - 1 teaspoon sugar
05 - 1 ½ cups (360 ml) warm water, plus extra as needed

→ For Shaping

06 - ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil, for greasing hands and work surface
07 - ¼ cup (60 g) softened unsalted butter
08 - ¼ cup (30 g) fine semolina, for dusting

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, mix flour, semolina, salt, and sugar. Gradually add warm water, mixing to form a soft, smooth dough. Knead for 8–10 minutes until elastic and no longer sticky.
02 - Divide dough into 8 equal balls. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 15 minutes.
03 - Grease your hands and work surface lightly with oil. Take one dough ball, flatten it into a very thin, almost transparent circle (about 10 inches wide).
04 - Dot the surface with softened butter and sprinkle generously with semolina.
05 - Fold the circle into thirds horizontally, then fold again vertically to form a square or rectangle. Set aside; repeat with remaining dough balls.
06 - Let all folded pieces rest for 5 minutes.
07 - Gently flatten each square to about ½ inch thick.
08 - Heat a nonstick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lightly oil the surface.
09 - Cook each pancake for 2–3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until golden brown and cooked through.
10 - Serve warm, drizzled with honey, jam, or a dusting of powdered sugar.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These flaky layered pancakes transform breakfast into something extraordinary with minimal effort beyond the first learning curve
  • The honey butter combination seeping into warm layers creates the kind of comfort food memory that lasts decades
02 -
  • Your first few attempts at stretching the dough will likely tear or become uneven, and this is completely normal even for experienced cooks
  • The semolina dusted between layers is nonnegotiable for creating those signature flaky separate layers that define authentic meloui
03 -
  • Use truly softened butter that spreads easily without tearing the delicate dough
  • Let your dough rest longer if it keeps snapping back when stretching

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