Rghaif (Oven-Baked Stuffed Msemen)

Name: Rghaif (Oven-Baked Stuffed Msemen)
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 450 g all-purpose flour; 150 g fine semolina; 400 g ground beef; 2 large yellow onions; 2 bell peppers; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 120 g unsalted butter; 80 tbsp vegetable oil; 0.5 tbsp fresh parsley; 2 tsp salt

Rghaif elevates laminated msemen dough into a savory showpiece: the same butter-brushed, semolina-sprinkled layers are wrapped around spiced ground beef, sweet onions, and roasted peppers—or a classic suet-and-herb filling—then baked until the pastry shatters and the filling steams inside. Unlike pan-fried msemen, the oven dries the edges into a crackling shell perfect for cutting into squares at gatherings.

Recipe byChef Youssef

Prep 55 min
Cook 35 min
Serves 8

PastryFlatbreadBakingHalal

Ingredients

Servings

Scaled from 8 base servings — local only.

450 gall-purpose flour
150 gfine semolina
400 gground beef
2 largeyellow onions
2bell peppers
1 tbspground cumin
1 tspsweet paprika
120 gunsalted butter
80 tbspvegetable oil
0.5 tbspfresh parsley
2 tspsalt

View list

Instructions

Prepare msemen dough: knead flours, salt, and water; rest 30 minutes. Brown beef with spices, onions, and peppers; cool and mix with parsley.
Stretch one portion of dough thin; brush with butter-oil and semolina. Place filling in the center; fold dough into a sealed square. Repeat for 8 portions.
Arrange on a lined baking sheet; brush tops with butter. Bake at 200°C (400°F) 30–35 minutes until deeply golden and crisp.
Rest 5 minutes before cutting—filling will be hot. Serve with harissa or salad.