Kesra Galette Algérienne

 KESRA GALETTE 

ALGERIENNE

Algerian galette kesra is a traditional Algerian flatbread that holds cultural significance in Algerian cuisine. It's a simple yet essential part of many meals in Algerian households.

Galette kesra is typically made from semolina flour, salt, water, and sometimes a bit of olive oil. The dough is formed into rounds and flattened by hand, resulting in a flatbread that is thicker than some other types of flatbreads. It's then cooked on a hot griddle or skillet until it develops a golden crust on the outside while remaining soft and slightly chewy on the inside.

This flatbread is versatile and can be served with various dishes, such as stews, tagines, or alongside grilled meats. It's often used as a utensil for scooping up food or as a base for toppings, making it a staple in Algerian cuisine and a symbol of cultural heritage.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Servings: 4

Course: side dish

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup fine grained semolina (semolina flour) 
• 1 cup semoule moyen (medium grained semolina) 
• ¼ cup of vegetable oil 
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• ¼ tablespoon baking powder
• ½ tablespoon sugar
• almost 1 cup of water
• a dash of sesame seeds

To Serve:

• Honey mixed
• Marmelade of your choice (for breakfast)
• Butter

INSTRUCTIONS :

MIX the semolina with the salt, baking powder and sesame seeds. Rub the vegetable oil into the semolina with your finger tips until it resembles wet sand.

MAKE a well in the middle of the bowl and add in the water. Gently mix to form a homogenous and smooth dough. But be careful not to overwork the dough.

ALLOW the dough to rest for about 5-8 minutes. Explanation for this: although this recipe calls for yeast, the dough still requires a rest. This pause helps the semolina to hydrate. Indeed, semolina with much larger grains than flour it takes time to absorb the water. Again, as for kneading, some people sometimes let stand 2 hours. Here too, my version is faster, express from the use of baking powder.

PREHEAT your tagine or pan while the dough is resting. Use a medium fire.

DIVIDE the dough into 2 (for 2 large galettes) or 12 (for 12 smaller galettes) Using the heal of your hand or rolling pin flatten the ball to a thickness of 1 cm - ½ in.

PRICK with a fork all over the galette. This will help the galette not fluff or swell. You can also make designs using a cookie cutter.

ON a medium-low fire cook for about 3 minutes then turn the galette clockwise to obtain even browning. You may want to take a peep at the bottom so it doesn't burn.

FLIP gently to the other side with the help of a spatula. Or alternatively, flip the galette into a clean plate, then slide back into the tagine or pan with the cooked side up. Allow to cook for another 3 minutes then rotate. The galettes should be a deep golden brown color, but not burned.

REPEAT the steps until you've baked all of the dough. Allow the galette to cool before serving.

TO SERVE

These galettes are traditionally served with hot espresso style coffee or café au lait (coffee with milk) and local orange blossom honey. But with mint tea, cocoa or also spread with jam or Nutella.

KITCHEN TIPS

Storage

-Store these galettes in a clean kitchen towel, wrapped in plastic or a food container at room temperature for up to 2 days.