بغرير / Morrocan Beghrir (Baghrir) Recipe or Moroccan Pancakes / Crêpes Marocaines aux Mille Trous!

No, no, these are not crumpets! These are crepes of a thousand holes called "Baghrir", pronounced as BAR(French R) =REER (English R) = بغرير .  The letters "gh" in the word "Ba gh rir", together are pronounced like the French "R", similar to a gargling sound in the back of the throat, like in the French word "Rivière".  On the other hand, the letter "r" in the word "Bagh r i r " is pronounced like the rolling English "R", as in the word "Rain".

Baghrir is one of the most well known of Moroccan crepes, originally hailing from the South of Morocco, known as Souss Region, and it is a Tamazight/Shalha name, which means "Too soft".  If you call someone, especially a man "Zayd Aya Baghrir", this phrase could be seen as insulting, thus insinuating; "He (the Man) is too submissive, too obedient, too weak, etc.."!

These baghrirs are eaten throughout Morocco, especially during Ramadan for breaking the fast, but they are such a great treat anytime!  Traditionally, they are served with a sauce of butter-honey, but can also be served plain, with jam, peanut butter or chocolate spread, or Amlou Paste etc....They are readily available in small and large sizes, and can be purchased in most local Souks or big supermarkets.  However, there is nothing like a hot, homemade baghrir drizzled with a mixture of butter and honey, making you feel cosy and keeping you happy.  Baghrir is so easy to make, and to be honest, you don't even need a recipe to go for it.  In fact, if you can make pancake or pudla or crumpet or crepe, you can definitely make baghrir.  Everyone can make baghrir, the only thing you need is a honest and clear recipe with cooking tips, then you will learn quickly how to master the making of such a delicious treat!

Baghrir is usually made out of hard unbleached flour all purpose or fine semolina, known in French as "Farine de blé dur non blanchi ou semoule très fine", or sometimes, a combination of other types of flour such as; rice flour, or white flour, or corn flour, which are also used on occasion to achieve a certain texture or taste, though these baghrirs are less popular.

These little holes that you can see in the top of baghrir are the results of adding baking soda or baking powder to the yeast and thanks to them, thus, allowing baghrir to soak up anything you choose to spread on them, and perfect for holding the butter you will surely want to melt on them.  However, my grandmother as well as my mother, never added "baking soda" or "baking powder" to their baghrir batter, and their crepes still ended up with these little, cute and delicious holes on top!  What was their secret? Unfortunately, no one in my family can tell!

When I was young, I remember how my sisters and  I were so excited watching my mother and grand-mother, while they were cooking these delicious baghrirs.  We all waited watching what they were doing, counting those little bubbles once they started to pop up all across the surface.  When it’s cooked, we ate it all!

I usually make baghrir for breakfast on Saturdays, it is our delight of the weekend.  It has that light unique, soft, spongy, tender texture with an attractive honeycomb appearance and is cooked only on ONE (1) side.  Though best straight out of the pan, they can be made ahead of time and heated up in a hot pan.  Don't use an oven or toaster to heat them up, because they will turn out too crispy.  Microwaving will just make them soggy, so it is not recommended.

I'm sending this recipe of Baghrir over to Susan's Yeastspotting, at Wild Yeast

Tips  / Conseils:

1- Set aside a pan that you use ONLY for baghrir. /  Réserver une poêle uniquement pour baghrir.

2-Use a pan the diameter of the baghrir you wish to make.  Instead of worrying each time to make a perfect circle. / Utiliser une poêle qui convient la taille du baghrir que vous aimeriez faire, c'est plus pratique.

3-To cook baghrir, the heat should be "medium-high". / Cuire baghrir sur feu "moyennement fort".

4-Don't heat the pan when you start cooking your first baghrir, pour the batter on a cold pan. / Ne pas réchauffer la poêle quand vous commencer cuire votre baghrir No 1. Verser la pâte sur la poêle froide.

5-While you are cooking baghrir, after each one you cooked, you should put the pan on a dampen hand towel, to allow the pan to cool a little bit (about 1 minute).  /  Entre la cuisson de chaque Baghrir, posez la poêle sur un torchon humide pour laisser la poêle refroidir un peu (environ 1 minute).

6- Don't worry if your first baghrir looks less promising and even the last one. I don't know why!/ Ne vous inquiétez pas si votre 1ère barghrir n'a pas un beau look des mille trous et même la dernière serait moins belle.  J'ignore la raison !

7-Check the consistancy of the batter. It is very important, if it's too thick, the bubbles will not form.  /  Vérifiez la texture de la pâte, si elle est trop épaisse, ceci empêchera la formation des bulbes. 

8-You can freeze baghrir, separate each one with a waxing paper or baking paper so it doesn't stick once frozen. / Ca se congèle bien, si chaque baghrir est séparée avec du papier cirée ou papier cuisson

9-Don't heat baghrir in the oven or microwave. Use a pan instead.  /  Ne pas réchauffer baghrir dans le micro onde ou le four. Réchauffer-le dans une poêle tout simplement.

This is Baghrir served with Amlo and honey!

By Mamatkamal, K. El Mary

Ingredients:

-100 gr all-pupose flour or white flour / 100 gr de farine tout usage ou blanche

-400 gr hard unbleached flour all puprose or fine semolina / 400 gr de farine de blé dur ou semoule très fine

-1 egg yolk/ 1 jaune d'oeuf

-2 teaspoon olive oil / 2 c à soupe de l'huile d'olive

-Pinch of salt / Une pincée de sel

-1/2 teaspoon yeast, dried (If fresh, put more than 1/2 teaspoon) / 1/2 c à thé de levure boulangère sèche en poudre (si fraîche, mettre un peu plus)

-Some warm water / Un peu de l'eau tiède selon le mélange.

-Pinch of baking soda or baking powder / Une pincée de bicarbonate de soude ou levure chimique ou poudre à pâte

N.B. My mother and grandmother used to make the traditional baghrir recipe.  They used no form of baking soda or baking powder, and their crepe are cooked in tagine over a charcoal brazier what we call in Morocco "Majmar or Kanoun". / La vraie recette traditionnelle de ma mère et ma  grand-mère n'utilisait aucune forme de levure chimique ou du soda bicarbonate, et leur baghrir  était cuit dans un tajine, placé sur un brasier qu'on appelle au Maroc "Majmar ou Kanoun".

Method / Préparation:

1-Sift all dry ingredients, add yolk, and using an electric mixer beat all the ingredients adding gradually the water.  Beat for about 2 minutes.  Not sure how much water? see picture below, this is how the batter should look like. Cover and let rise for at least 30 to 45 minutes  / Tamiser les ingrédients secs, ajouter le jaune d'oeuf et à l'aide d'un batteur électrique, battre tous les ingrédients en ajoutant au fur et à mesure de l'eau tiède jusqu'à obtention d'un mélange qui ressemble à celui sur la photo ci-dessous. Couvrir et laisser lever pendant 30 à 45 minutes.

2-If you see those little bubles forming on the surface of the batter (see photo below), then the batter is ready  / Si vous voyez ces bulbes qui se forment (voir photo ci-dessous), ceci veut dire que la pâte est prête.

3-The batter should stay liquid (see picture below).  If i is too foamy, add about 1/4 teaspoon of warm water then stir (MAKE SURE NOT TO ADD TOO MUCH WATER).  Leave to rest for 5 minutes.  The batter should be thin like crepe batter / La pâte doit rester liquide tel qu'illustré sur la photo ci-dessous.  Si la pâte est trop épaissse et la texture est trop mousseuse,  ajouter un TOUT TOUT petit peu de l'eau tiède à peu près 1/4 de c à thé PAS PLUS, et bien mélanger. Laisser reposer 5 minutes. La pâte doit ressembler à celle des crêpes.

4-Start cooking Baghrir: DON'T HEAT THE PAN, rub the pan with a paper towel that has been dipped in vegetable oil, gently stir the batter then pour 1 small ladle onto the pan, smooth into a perfect circle with the bottom of the ladle. Heat over medium-high (number 5, for me).  / Cuire votre : NE PAS RECHAUFFER LA POELE (anti adhésive), essuyer avec un papier essuie-tout imbibé légèrement d'huile végétale. Verser la quantité d'une petite louche sur la poêle en formant un petit cercle. Faire cuire sur feu moyennement fort (je l'ai mis sur numéro 5).

5-This is the most exciting part for my children lol, look at these bubbles!!!!  After a few seconds, you can see some bubbles forming on the surface.  Smile, your Baghrir turns out well !. / Mes enfants adorent regarder la formation de toutes ces bulbes sur Beghrir. Souriez, c'est un bon signe!

6- Now the kids are too excited and they started counting and recounting the bubbles.  / Voilà mes enfants sont de plus en plus excités , ils comptent et recomptent ces bulbes.

7-It 's almost done (see picture below ), now remove from fire, the pan is still too hot, Baghrir will finish its cooking in 2 or 3 seconds. / Quand il vous reste juste le dernier bout tel qu'illustré sur la photo ci-dessous, enlever du feu.  Baghrir va finir sa cuisson dans 2 ou 3 secondes qui suivent, puisque la poêle est enocre chaude. 

8-Baghri is ready (see picture below). Put on a clean towel. While they are still hot, don't put one upon the other, they will stick, but once they are cool, they can be stacked without sticking. Unlike ordinary pancakes and crepes, Baghrir is cooked ONLY on one side.  Repeat with the remaining batter (see tips). / Voilà c'est cuit (photo ci-dessous).  Disposer Beghrirs sur une seviette propre et séparer-les pour ne pas qu'elles se collent entre. Mais une fois refroidie, vous pouvez poser une Baghrir sur l'autre.  Baghrir se cuit d'un seul côté, une condition pour Baghrir marocain, ce n'est comme les crêpes ou pancakes. procédez de la même façon pour les autres Baghrir jusqu'à épuisement de la pâte (Voir conseils sur la poêle).

9-Serve warm with a sauce of butter and honey / Servir tiède avec une sauce de beurre et miel.

N.B. You can make Baghrir with milk instead of water and add some vanilla flavour  / Ou vous pouvez remplacer l'eau par le lait et ajouter quelques gouttes d'essence de vanille

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Other recipes of Baghrir: Baghrir Marocain sous forme de Coeur!

Recipe, Article and Photos by Mamatkamal

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