Moroccan · Bread
Matloue (Thick Skillet Flatbread)
Matloue is a soft, thick, spongy skillet bread — enriched with a little semolina and cooked slowly on a griddle so it stays pillowy inside with a golden, freckled crust. It tears into fluffy pieces and is the ideal bread for soaking up sauce or wrapping around grilled kefta.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 350 g bread flour
- 150 g fine semolina
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 7 g dried yeast
- About 340 ml warm water
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Method
- 1
Make a soft dough
Mix the flour, semolina, salt, sugar and yeast, add the water and oil and knead 10 minutes to a very soft, elastic dough.
- 2
First rise
Cover and rise about 1 hour until doubled and airy.
- 3
Shape the rounds
Knock back gently, divide and flatten into rounds about 1.5 cm thick, keeping as much air as possible.
- 4
Prove
Prove 30 minutes until visibly puffy and light.
- 5
Griddle slowly
Cook on a hot dry pan over medium-low heat 10–12 minutes a side, so the thick bread cooks through while staying soft inside.
Chef's tips
- Keep the dough very soft and handle it gently after proving to preserve the airy, spongy crumb.
- Cook over medium-low heat — too hot and the outside burns before the thick middle cooks.
Frequently asked questions
How is matloue different from batbout?
They are close cousins; matloue tends to be thicker and larger, while batbout are smaller pocket breads. Both are soft skillet breads.
Can I bake it instead?
Traditionally it is skillet-cooked, which gives its texture, but you can bake it at 220°C for a lighter, more oven-loaf result.