Moroccan · Bread
Onion and Herb Flatbread
A soft, quick flatbread kneaded through with sweet cooked onion, parsley and a little cumin, then griddled or baked until flecked and fragrant. It is a homely Moroccan bread that turns the humble onion into something savoury and moreish, perfect torn warm alongside a bowl of harira.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 400 g bread flour and 50 g semolina
- 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 7 g dried yeast
- About 260 ml warm water
- 2 onions, finely chopped and softened in oil
- 1 small bunch parsley and coriander, chopped
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 3 tbsp olive oil
Method
- 1
Soften the onions
Cook the chopped onions gently in 2 tbsp oil until soft, sweet and pale gold, then cool.
- 2
Make the dough
Mix the flour, semolina, salt, sugar and yeast, add water and knead 8 minutes to a soft dough, then work in the onions, herbs and cumin.
- 3
Rise
Cover and rise about 1 hour until puffy.
- 4
Shape and prove
Divide, flatten into rounds about 1.5 cm thick, and prove 25 minutes.
- 5
Cook
Griddle on a hot dry pan 7–8 minutes a side, or bake at 220°C for 20 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
Chef's tips
- Cook the onions until properly soft and sweet — raw onion in the dough stays harsh and wet.
- Cool the onions before adding, or their heat will kill the yeast and stall the rise.
Frequently asked questions
Griddle or oven?
Both work — griddling gives a chewier, blistered flatbread; the oven gives a lighter, more risen loaf.
Can I add cheese?
A little crumbled cheese or grated hard cheese in the dough is a modern, delicious variation.