Preserved lemon and vegetable medfouna

“You can easily adapt this Moroccan stuffed bread recipe to suit your taste as the dough works as a delicious casing for many types of fillings. Try other fresh or cooked vegetables, different types of cheese and cooked or cured meats. Traditionally stuffed with meat, I’ve made a vegetarian version and freshened things up with a good hit of herbs, ricotta and preserved lemon.” Shane Delia, Shane Delia’s Moorish Spice Journey

• serves

  4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 tsp sugar
• 7 g instant dried yeast
• 250 ml (1 cup) room temperature water
• 300 g (2 cups) baker’s flour, plus extra for dusting
• 150 g (1 cup) wholemeal plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) milk
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 2 tbsp finely crushed coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp coarse semolina
• olive oil, for pan-frying
• dehydrated lemon peel, for dusting (see Note)

Filling

• 100 ml olive oil
• 6 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 ripe tomatoes, grated
• 1 tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon
• 460 g (2 cups) fresh ricotta
• 2 zucchini, grated
• 1 tbsp ras el hanout
• ½ cup finely chopped coriander
• ½ cup finely chopped parsley
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

Chermoula dressing

• 1 tbsp chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp finely grated ginger
• pinch of saffron threads
• 2 small red onions, finely chopped
• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• ½ cup chopped coriander
• ½ preserved lemon, flesh discarded, peel finely chopped
• 125 ml (½ cup) olive oil
• ½ lemon, juiced

Resting time 1 hour

You will need to begin this recipe 1 day ahead.

Instructions

1. Combine the sugar, yeast and water in a small bowl and stand for 10 minutes or until foamy.
2. Combine the flours and salt in a large bowl, then add the yeast mixture and milk and stir until a dough comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 6-8 minutes or until smooth and elastic adding a little extra flour if the dough is sticky. Shape into a smooth ball and place in a bowl, then cover with a tea towel and rest in a warm place for 20 minutes. Knead for another 5 minutes, then divide the dough into 4 portions and place on a baking paper-lined tray. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and stand for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. 
3. Meanwhile, to make the filling, heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, for 35-40 minutes or until soft and caramelised. Remove from the pan and when cool, combine with all the remaining ingredients and season to taste.
4. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Combine the poppy seeds, crushed coriander seeds and semolina in a small bowl.
5. When the dough is ready, sprinkle the workbench with the semolina mixture. Divide the dough into 8 portions and roll out into 5 mm-thick rounds. Divide the filling among half the rounds, leaving a 2 cm border. Place the remaining dough rounds on top, then bring up the bottom edge and fold over the top to seal. Turn the rounds over and press gently to seal well and neaten the shape.
6. Pour 5 mm olive oil in a large oven-proof frying pan and place over medium-high heat. When hot, cook the medfouna, seal-side down for 3-4 minutes or until the base is golden and crisp. You may need to cook them in 2 pans. Turn the medfouna, transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
7. Meanwhile, to make the chermoula dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stand for 30 minutes for the flavours to develop. Store in the fridge for up to 7 days.
8. To serve, dust the hot medfouna with the dehydrated lemon peel, then serve with the chermoula dressing passed separately.

Note

• To make the dehydrated lemon peel, cut 2 lemons into quarters, then remove and discard the flesh. Place the peel on a baking paper lined oven tray. Set the oven to the lowest temperature. Place the tray in the oven and leave the door slightly ajar and leave for 12 hours or until the peel is dry and crisp. Cool, the finely grind in a spice grinder or small food processor and store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Shane Delia’s Moorish Spice Journey starts Thursday 15 October 2015 at 8pm on SBS and finishes 17 December 2015. Visit the Shane Delia’s Moorish Spice Journey program page to catch-up on episodes online, scroll through recipes and read our interview with Shane.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.