Batbout is the Moroccan pan-pita, an Amazigh bread that puffs into a pocket on the griddle, like a pita but cooked on a stove instead of in an oven. It is also called mkhamer or toghrift in different regions, and it is one of the oldest bread forms in North Africa. The pocket forms when the moisture in the dough turns to steam during cooking and inflates the bread from within, separating the top and bottom crusts. Batbout is eaten everyday, split open and stuffed with kefta, cheese, honey or butter, and it is the bread most commonly used for Moroccan sandwiches.
Soft, warm and pillowy with a hollow center; the crust is slightly chewy from the griddle. Split and stuffed with kefta or cheese, it is the Moroccan sandwich.
The pocket forms by steam pressure. As the dough hits the hot griddle, the moisture in the center turns to steam instantly. This steam has nowhere to go but up and out, and it separates the top and bottom layers of dough, inflating the bread into a balloon. The inflation is rapid, lasting only seconds, and once the proteins set at the balloon's peak temperature, the pocket is permanent. This is the same physics as pita, but the griddle's lower heat compared to an oven means the pocket is smaller and the bread is softer and moister than oven-baked pita.
Variations
Some add a little semolina to the dough for texture. A sweet version is eaten with honey and butter. Whole wheat batbout is common in rural areas.
On the Palate
Where Batbout sits in the Moroccan flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 6How it's made
6 steps · 20 min
- 15 min
Mix 3 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp yeast, 1 tbsp oil, warm water to make a soft dough; knead 5 min; rest 1 hour.
- 25 min
Divide into 8 balls; flatten each to 1 cm discs; rest 15 min.
- 32 min
Heat a dry pan over medium.
- 45 min
Cook each disc 2-3 min per side; it should puff up like a balloon.
Watch outThe disc should balloon up within seconds on the hot pan — if it just lies flat, the pan isn't hot enough to flash the pocket open.
- 53 min
Press gently to deflate if it puffs too much; keep warm under a cloth.
- 63 min
Split and fill with kefta, cheese, honey, or serve alongside a tagine.
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