Beghrir: Million Hole Pancakes
Beghrir, also known as million hole pancakes in the Lahbichi household, is one that reminds me of early mornings before school. My grandmother from Morocco, Moey, would spend 6 months with us at a time, which also happened to be when I ate the most vibrant and flavorful meals. Beghrir was her version of the American breakfast staple, that was so similar yet so different to the sweet and fluffy stacks. Beghrir is yeasty, and not too sweet- allowing for anyone to garnish their stack with their favorite toppings. The craters in each stack allows for the traditional melted butter and drizzle of honey to coat every single piece. As I got older, and my love of tahini became obsessive, I realized that like pancakes, Beghrir welcomed a drizzle of nutty and sweet syrups with open arms (like the Orange Blossom-Tahini Glaze in the recipe below). Don’t forget to grab the freshest fruit you can find this season and enjoy!
Beghrir
Yield: 20-25 4” pancakes (depending on amount poured)
Time: 20-30 minutes (+ 30 minute rising time)
INGREDIENTS
Beghrir Pancakes
1 1/2 cup semolina flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon yeast
3 cups warm water
Lemon Chia Pudding
1/4 cup oat milk, substitute with milk of choice
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 to 2 large lemon)
1/2 cup plant-based yogurt
2 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup, add more per your preference
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons Garden of Life Raw Organic Chia Seeds
zest of 1 lemon
pinch of sea salt
DIRECTIONS
To make the Lemon Chia Pudding
In a mixing bowl, stir together the milk, yogurt, maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and sea salt until combined. Add the chia seeds and whisk until incorportated.
Place in the refrigerator overnight or for about 2 to 3 hours. The chia seeds should have absorbed the liquid and become a “pudding” like consistency.
Set aside to make the million-hole pancakes!
To make the Beghrir:
In a large bowl, add the semolina flour, all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. Mix until combined and set aside.
In another bowl, whisk together warm water and the yeast.
Add the yeast-water mixture gradually to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Alternatively, you can add all of the ingredients to a blender and pulse until combined. The batter should be very similar to crepe batter or heavy cream.
Transfer the batter to a large bowl (enough room for the batter to rise) and cover with a kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm area and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Using a ⅓ measuring cup, spoon the Beghrir into the pan. Do NOT swirl the pan as this will cause a crepe-like pancake to form.
The batter should spread out on its own and begin to bubble within the first 15 seconds. Don’t flip the beghrir as it usually cooks on one side. The Beghrir is done when the top of the pancake is dry to touch.
Lay the pancakes on a clean kitchen cloth and cover with another one to keep warm prior to serving.
Beghrir can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week or in the freezer with parchment paper in between each pancake.
Serve with melted butter, honey, and flaky salt or with Orange Blossom-Tahini Glaze. Garnish with fresh fruit that is seasonally available.
Dive in!
NOTES
Orange Blossom-Tahini Glaze
Ingredients
4 tablespoons tahini
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon orange blossom water, (can substitute with vanilla or almond extract but orange blossom water is preferable)
Dash of sea salt
Dash of cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons water, to thin if needed
Directions
In a mixing bowl, stir together the tahini, maple syrup, orange blossom water, and cinnamon. Add a dash of salt, to taste (this will help enhance the sweetness).
By stirring together the tahini and maple syrup, the mixture may emulsify and become thicker than wanted. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin if needed.
Set aside to make the million-hole pancakes!