Malawach. - Yemenite Jewish Flat Bread

[charisstoma]

https://food52.com/recipes/72132-malawach-yemenite-jewish-pancakes


Malawach. - Yemenite Jewish Flat Bread

Flatbread that resembles a pancake and pulls apart like a croissant; irresistible, buttery, flaky flatbread. Commonly eaten for breakfast, served with a drizzle of honey or with hard boiled eggs, grated tomato**, and zhug (a Yemeni spicy herb sauce)* The dough is time consuming to prep, but make this recipe or double it, and store them in the freezer-- the pancakes can go straight from the freezer to the grill pan and be ready within 3 minutes.

Makes 8 (8-inch) pancakes

Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup pastry flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 cup warm water
4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, sugar, and salt.

Slowly pour in the warm water, and use your hand to stir and mix the dough until it fully pulls away from the bowl. If the dough is not completely combined, stir in 1/2 tablespoon of water at a time, mixing until the dough comes together.

Transfer the dough to a clean countertop and knead until it is smooth and elastic, roughly 5 minutes. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.

Uncover the dough and with a knife or pastry scraper, divide the dough into 8 equal pieces; keep the dough covered with plastic wrap while you flatten each ball out.

Prepare a sheet tray by lining it with parchment paper and set it aside. On a clean countertop, rub 1 tablespoon of butter across the worksurface. Place one piece of dough at a time on the buttered countertop and use a rolling pin to shape the dough into roughly an 8-inch circle (you should not need to use flour to roll the dough).

Take 1 tablespoon of butter and use your fingers to dollop pieces of it across the surface of the dough; starting from the center, with both hands use your fingers to press and slide them across the dough, stretching it outwards, creating a large 12 x 14-inch rectangle. The dough should be thin enough to see through to the countertop, it's okay if a few tears occur.


If creating a filling variation (see below for suggestions), sprinkle 2 tablespoon across the surface of the buttered dough now.


Starting from the widest edge of the rectangle, fold over the dough in 1-inch increments until a long rope is created.

Roll up the malawach, slathering more butter along the way.



Coil the rope into a pinwheel and place on the prepared sheet tray. Cover the dough with the plastic wrap previously used, and roll the remaining pieces of dough. Cover the sheet tray with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight, or until thoroughly chilled.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Use a rolling pin to flatten the pinwheels into 8 1/2-inch circles. Stack the flattened dough in between pieces of parchment paper, and place inside a freezer storage bag. Freeze the dough for a minimum of 45 minutes, and store up to 1 month.

To cook, lightly butter a large non-stick or cast iron pan and place over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add a frozen piece of flattened dough to the pan and turn the stove to medium. (The pan should not be smoking.) Cook the dough 1 to 2 minutes per side until it is golden brown. The malawach is best enjoyed fresh off the pan; if you plan to serve all the flatbread, place them in an oven at 200 degrees to keep warm until ready to serve.

Filling variations: nigella seeds; everything spice; sauteed greens (could be leftovers, like chard, kale, or spinach); fresh chopped herbs like oregano, rosemary, or thyme; sauteed garlic or shallots; sliced scallions; sharp, hard cheese of your choice, crumbled or shredded

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https://food52.com/recipes/72133-zhug?preview=true
* Zhug

Think of this sauce as a fresh, fiery middle eastern pesto; perfect dolloped into soups, slathered in a sandwich, or my favorite-- on eggs. The general framework for this recipes includes fresh parsley and cilantro, pulsed with spices, and hot peppers. Experiment with your favorite pepper (Thai chiles, even) and add more depending on the heat you can handle. Make a batch now and use it throughout the week.

Makes 2 cups

1 to 3 jalapeno, halved and de-seeded. Start with 1 pepper and add more according to your heat preference.
1 bunch cilantro; stems and leaves washed, rough chopped (roughly 2 cups)
1 bunch flat leaf parsley; stems and leaves washed, rough chopped (roughly 2 cups)
4 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil, more to cover

Directions

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to combine.

Slowly drizzle in olive oil to combine. Do not overblend the zhug, it should maintain a little texture like a chunky pesto.

Taste the zhug; add more salt to taste, add more jalapeno for desired spiciness.

Store the zhug in an airtight container; pour a little olive oil on top to coat the surface to prevent oxidation and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

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https://food52.com/recipes/72140-grated-tomato

** Grated Tomato

This is a traditional condiment used in Mediterranean cuisine and is delicious served alongside eggs, with a favorite toasted bread, or on pasta as salsa cruda.

Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 large tomato (1 1/4 lb)
Pinch of salt, to taste

Place a box grater in a medium sized bowl. Wash the tomato and grate across the large holes of the box grater. Finish with a pinch of salt to taste. Best enjoyed fresh.