Kesra- a traditional Algerian Dish

This delicious dish was cooked for us live at our Zoom session- Stories of our Food. Thank you Mawa for showing us how to make this delicious meal.

Ingredients:

For the filling:

1 small white onion and 1 small red onion
2 cloves of garlic

1 good tablespoon of tomato puree
1 teaspoon of hot red curry paste (if desired)
1/2 bunch of fresh coriander

A few sprigs of fresh mint

For the dough:

500 grams of extra fine semolina or can mix with plain flour
75 ml of oil (mixture of olive oil and vegetable oil)
9 grams of salt
2 grams of dry yeast (or 6 grams of fresh yeast)
230-250 ml of warm water

Method: 

1. In a saucepan, brown the chopped onions and the crushed garlic in a drizzle of olive oil. 
2. Stir in the pepper mixture and cook for a few minutes before adding the tomato puree and red curry paste. Add 2 to 3 spoons of water if the stuffing is too dry.
3. Add the spices. 
4. Flavour with chopped fresh mint and coriander . Let cool. 
5. In a large, fairly deep bowl, mix together the semolina, salt and add the oils. Sand the mixture between your hands. 
6. Dig a well and add the dry yeast then dilute with a little warm water all the dough and transfer to the work surface and knead the dough for 5 minutes to obtain a smooth and fairly supple texture (The dough shouldn’t be sticky to the hands). 
7. Divide into two dough pieces of identical weight. Heat your pan or tajine. To avoid the effects of yeast, flatten directly after kneading each dough to a thickness of 5 mm with a rolling pin. Then mix with the stuffing which will have cooled by spreading it over the entire surface, keeping 2 cm of edge. Cover with the second dough.
8. Line up the edges and pinch together. 
9. Place the stuffed cake on in the pan and prick with a fork to help it cook. Leave the first side to brown well before turning and baking the second. 
10. Once cooked, place your pancake on a rack and let cool slightly before cutting it in half then in quarter. Taste at any time hot, warm or cold whatever the season.