Baghrir (Moroccan Thousand-Hole Pancakes)

La storia di questo piatto

Baghrir belongs to the Maghreb, where Berber tradition carries it through Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia as the pancake of a thousand holes; its roots are ancient, though no date has ever been pinned to it. Fine durum semolina, a breath of orange blossom water, and the quiet pride of a table where nothing is hurried.

Ingredienti

• 250 g Fine durum wheat semolina
• 60 g Type 00 flour
• 8 g Fresh baker's yeast
• 5 g Baking powder
• 5 g Sugar
• 3 g Fine salt
• 500 ml Lukewarm water
• 80 g Butter (for the final topping)
• 100 g Honey (for the final topping)
• 5 ml Orange blossom water

Preparazione

1. In the blender jar, combine the semolina, flour, crumbled fresh yeast, sugar and fine salt: the baking powder stays in its jar for now, we'll add it later. Pour in the lukewarm water (it should feel just barely warm to the touch, never hot, or the yeast will die) and blend for 2-3 minutes until you have a smooth, thin batter like fresh cream, with no lumps.
2. Pour the batter into a large bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 45 minutes in a warm place, away from drafts. The surface should show many small bubbles that burst on their own, and the batter should smell of yeast: that is the sign it is ready. If after 45 minutes you see no bubbles, let it rest another 15-20 minutes in a warmer spot: place the bowl near the oven turned off with only the light on.
3. Now that the batter has rested, sprinkle the baking powder over it (5 g, about 1 level teaspoon) and whisk for just a few seconds, only long enough to distribute it: if you mix too much you will knock out the bubbles you worked to build. The chemical leavening must be added now, just before cooking, so it gives its lift right on the pan and helps the holes open.
4. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, without any fat, until it is well heated: a drop of batter should sizzle immediately and form bubbles without burning. Pour a ladleful of batter (about 60-70 ml) into the center without moving the pan and without ever flipping: a disc about 12-14 cm in diameter forms and the heat, rising from below, opens the holes on the surface one after another, like a rain of craters. If the bottom darkens quickly before the holes form, lower the heat slightly.
5. Cook the baghrir on this one side only for about 2-3 minutes, until the surface is completely dry, matte and full of holes, and the edge lifts away from the pan on its own. Never flip it: it cooks on one side only, that is its nature, and flipping it would lose the honeycomb. Transfer to a tray covered with a clean cloth and repeat with all the batter (stir it gently now and then): you should get about 12-14, that is 3-4 per person for 4 people. With a single pan the total cooking time is about 30-35 minutes; if you have two pans, use them together to halve the time. Stack the baghrir to keep them soft and warm.
6. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the honey over very low heat, stirring gently, until the mixture is glossy and fluid like a light syrup: the butter must not take on color and the honey must not boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the orange blossom water. Butter and honey are the topping poured at the end of cooking, as tradition dictates; they are not part of the batter. Taste: if it lacks roundness add a drizzle of honey, but sparingly, since the honey should accompany the baghrir without covering them.
7. Pour the warm butter and honey syrup over the still-warm baghrir, letting each hole drink its golden sip. Wait a minute before serving so the semolina sponge absorbs it well and it doesn't all stay on the surface. Serve immediately, while still warm.