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Mufleta (Moroccan Crepes)

April 25, 2024
Mufleta (Moroccan Crepes)

Penny De Los Santos

Excerpted from The Jewish Holiday Table by Naama Shefi and the Jewish Food Society (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2024.

When Passover ended in Ruth Stulman’s childhood community in Rabat, everyone opened their doors for a joyous and sweets-filled Mimouna party. The signature treat of the celebration is mufleta, yeasted crepes that are often the first hametz, or leavened food, eaten after Passover. Ruth remembers devouring them with the traditional butter and honey, but you can also serve them with jam.

The technique for shaping and rolling the well-oiled dough so it’s paper-thin and then frying the rounds stacked in multiple layers may seem challenging at first, but the dough is very forgiving. Once you’ve rolled and stacked a few layers, you’ll get the hang of it and feel quite accomplished when you see your tall stack of tender crepes, ready to enjoy.

Ingredients

  • 4cups (520 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1teaspoon sugar
  • 2teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1packet (2¼ teaspoons/7 g) active dry yeast
  • 1½ cups (360 ml) lukewarm water
  • About ½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil, such as canola, plus more for the bowl and work surface
  • Melted butter for drizzling
  • Honey for drizzling
Yield: Makes one 12- to 14-inch (30 to 35 cm) mufleta stack (about 24 layers)

Preparation

  • Step 1

    Put the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low speed until combined. With the mixer running, slowly stream in the water. If the dough seems dry at this point, add a bit more water, a teaspoon at a time, until the dough just comes together. Increase the mixer speed to medium and mix the dough for 10 to 12 minutes, until uniform and smooth.

  • Step 2

    Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, about 40 minutes.

  • Step 3

    Pour the oil onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread it evenly. Turn the dough out onto the oiled pan and use a knife to cut it into 24 equal pieces about the size of a golf ball (40 g).

  • Step 4

    To shape the dough, stretch one-quarter of one piece of dough out, over, and into the center of the dough ball. Do this three more times, working your way around the dough—think of creating a little parachute with the dough where the four quarters meet at the middle. Make a ring by connecting the thumb and forefinger of one hand. Take the dough ball and, smooth top side first, push it through the ring, which will slightly stretch the surface of the dough, tightening the ball. Pinch the bottom of the ball closed. Coat both sides of the ball with a bit more oil from the baking sheet and place it seam side down on the sheet. Continue to shape the rest of the dough balls.

  • Step 5

    Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly oil a clean work surface.

  • Step 6

    Set a dough ball on the oiled work surface and, using your hands and a rolling pin, stretch and flatten it into a 12- to 14-inch (30 to 35 cm) paperthin round (try not to make any holes, but if it happens, it’s okay). Carefully lift the dough and lay it in the hot pan. You’ll have a few seconds to reposition any folds or creases, but don’t worry if it’s not perfectly flat. Immediately start stretching your next layer. Once the dough in the skillet starts to brown lightly on the bottom, use a spatula to carefully flip it over. Lay the second stretched dough round directly on top of the first and immediately start stretching your next piece of dough.

  • Step 7

    When the bottom of the dough in the pan is lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes, flip the two layers over. Lay the third round of stretched dough on top of the stack.

  • Step 8

    Repeat this process of stretching, flipping, and adding to the dough stack until all of the layers are stacked in the skillet, like a giant crepe cake. If after you’ve stacked a dozen or so layers the stack becomes too difficult to flip as one, set that stack aside and start fresh with the rest of your dough. Adjust the heat as necessary while you work so that the layers don’t take on too much color. Remove the stack from the skillet and place on a large plate or serving dish.

  • Step 9

    Serve the mufleta immediately. To eat, each person should peel away a layer of mufleta from the stack, drizzle it with butter and honey, and roll it into a cylinder or fold into quarters.