Mhadjeb (Algerian Stuffed Flatbread)

Mhadjeb is the flatbread of Algerian breakfasts and market stalls — a soft semolina dough rolled whisper-thin and folded around a slow-cooked tomato and onion filling. Home cooks make stacks of them for the family, cooking each one on a hot griddle until it blisters. The recipe looks simple, but the details — resting the dough, rolling it thin, cooking it hot — are what make the difference.

Blistered on the outside, saucy in the middle

The bread is crisp and crackly where it hits the griddle, yet tender enough to tear, and the filling is jammy, lightly spicy, and faintly sweet from the long-cooked onions. Rolled, folded, and sealed by hand, every square is a pocket of pure comfort. Serve them warm with mint tea, a drizzle of olive oil, or a smear of harissa for heat. They also make a fine packed lunch or a simple dinner with a salad alongside, and they reheat surprisingly well in a dry skillet.

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