Mlewi (Tunisian Flatbread)
Mlewi is one of Tunisia’s most beloved flatbreads. Flaky, soft and pliable, this easy flatbread recipe is perfect for fresh wraps.
Servings: 8 Flatbreads
Ingredients
- 400 grams (2 ½ cups) all purpose flour
- 215 grams (1 ½ cups) fine semolina flour
- 6 grams 1 teaspoon salt
- 380-400 grams (1 ⅔ - 1 ¾ cups) lukewarm water
- Extra virgin olive oil, to prevent sticking
Instructions
- Make the dough. In a large mixing bowl, use your hands to mix the flour, semolina flour, and salt. Add the water and mix until a shaggy dough comes together, adding more as necessary to bring the dough together.
- Knead the dough. Use a mixer on medium speed to knead the dough until smooth, about 5 minutes. Or, transfer the dough to a flat surface like the kitchen table or a marble slab and use your hands to knead until nicely smooth and elastic, 5-10 minutes.
- Rest the dough. Form the dough into a ball and brush with olive oil all over. Return to a clean mixing bowl and cover with cling wrap. Set aside at room temperature to rest for about 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough. By now, the dough should have relaxed and spread around a bit. Divide into 8 rolls, set on a well-oiled surface (like a sheet tray coated with olive oil), and let rest for about 5 minutes.
- Spread the dough. Set up a work surface, like a clean countertop or extra large cutting board, with a layer of olive oil and place the bun in the middle. Dip your fingers in olive oil and start poking dimples in the dough to spread it around. Stretch the dough as much as you can. It's ok if it tears a bit at this point. Attempt to make a shape similar to a circle.
- Shape the dough. Pick up one side and fold it towards the middle, repeat with all four sides so you end up with an approximate square. Repeat with the remaining 7 dough rolls.
- Get ready to cook the dough. Get a large, non-stick pan heating over medium. Place the first square of dough you stretched back on your work surface. Stretch it again using your fingers until it becomes a square of the size of about 7"x7".
- Cook the flatbread. When your pan is hot (or when a drop of water sizzles and evaporates quickly), pick the raw flatbread up very gently using both hands and quickly transfer it to the hot surface. Sear until it’s cooked through and browned in spots, about a minute or two on each side. The bread is oil-saturated enough so that you don’t have to add any more.
- Use or store. Use immediately or wrap in plastic to prevent drying and store for up to 3 days
Notes
- Don't even think about trying to use a rolling pin to stretch the dough.
The dough will keep retracting and tearing and the process will be extremely frustrating. Well oiled up fingers work like a charm and just stretching the dough using your hands is easy and effective. - Don't make the dough extremely thin as it will become increasingly hard to transfer to your pan. The size of about 7"x7" works perfectly since the dough still stretches a bit while being moved and you end up with 8"x8" sized flatbreads.
- Make sure your pan is bigger than 8"x8" in order to bake the whole flatbread evenly. I love to use a lare crepe pan pan, but any large non-stick pan will do.
- Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
Nutrition
Calories: 278.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 57.7g | Protein: 8.6g | Fat: 0.8g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 294.3mg | Potassium: 103.5mg | Fiber: 2.4g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Calcium: 13.7mg | Iron: 3.5mg
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