What Is Batbout? Morocco's No-Oven Bread Explained (+ Recipe)

Where does batbout come from?

Batbout is one of the most common breads in Morocco. What makes it special: it never goes in the oven. It is cooked in a pan or on a griddle, which makes it easy to make at home with no special equipment.

Why it puffs up

The risen dough is rolled into fairly thick discs. On the hot griddle, steam trapped in the dough makes it puff up and a pocket forms in the middle, like a pita. That pocket is what lets you open it and fill it.

How Moroccans eat it

• At breakfast, warm, with butter, honey, olive oil or fresh cheese.
• As an afternoon snack with mint tea.
• Stuffed like a sandwich: minced meat, chicken, tuna, vegetables, eggs…

Homemade batbout recipe

Makes 8 to 10: 250 g plain flour, 250 g fine semolina, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1 packet dried yeast (7 g), about 330 ml warm water.

1. Mix the flour, semolina, salt, sugar and yeast. Add the warm water gradually.
2. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is soft and slightly sticky.
3. Cover and leave to rise for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.
4. Divide into 8 to 10 balls and roll each into a disc about 5 mm thick.
5. Rest for 15 minutes on a surface dusted with semolina.
6. Cook in a dry non-stick pan over medium heat, 2 to 3 minutes per side, turning several times: the batbout should puff up and colour lightly.

Keep them warm wrapped in a tea towel: they stay soft for hours.

Or let us cook it, in Marrakech

Not in the mood to knead? At Nomad Bun, in Marrakech Medina, we griddle our batbouts in front of you and fill them to order: chermoula chicken, kefta bsmen, shawarma or cheese steak. Discover our batbouts →