Moroccan Sellou with Almonds and Sesame

La storia di questo piatto

Sellou is the ancient heartbeat of Moroccan celebration, born from the amber souks of Fes and Marrakech, where generations of hands have passed down this sacred energy offering across wedding feasts, Ramadan nights, and the quiet rituals of new motherhood.

Ingredienti

• 200 g All-purpose flour
• 150 g Blanched almonds
• 100 g Sesame seeds
• 150 g Pure honey
• 100 g Clarified butter (ghee)
• 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Star anise seeds
• 1 pinch Fine salt
• 2 tablespoons Orange blossom water

Preparazione

1. Put the flour in a wide, completely dry pan and toast it over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon without pause—you must never stop stirring because the flour will burn in an instant if left alone. You'll watch the color gradually shift until it becomes a uniform golden brown, and your kitchen will fill with the aroma of toasted grain, which is the true signal that it's ready.
2. In another pan, toast the roughly chopped almonds, stirring them frequently so they color evenly all at once: just a few minutes is enough, until they begin to smell fragrant and darken slightly at the edges. Remove them and, in that same still-warm pan, pour in the sesame seeds: they toast quickly, so keep a close eye on them because they go from golden to burnt in the blink of an eye.
3. Lower the heat to the minimum so the honey doesn't burn, then pour the clarified butter into the toasted flour, stirring gently until everything comes together without any lumps. Next add the honey, orange blossom water, cinnamon, anise, and salt, and keep stirring until the mixture becomes soft, glossy, and fragrant: taste a tiny pinch—it should taste of spices and not just sweetness.
4. Pour the toasted almonds and sesame seeds into the still-warm mixture and stir vigorously so that each spoonful contains its share of crunch. Oil your hands generously with a thin coating of oil, then take the sellou and shape it on a plate into either a cone or dome form: oiled hands help you smooth the surface without everything sticking to your fingers.
5. Let the sellou rest at room temperature until it cools completely and becomes well compacted, otherwise it will crumble when you cut it. Decorate the top with a few whole almonds and a dusting of sesame seeds, a touch that makes a lovely presentation at the table, then store it in a tightly sealed jar: it will keep fragrant for up to two weeks.