Rustic Algerian Berber flatbread fried until blistered and crisp, served with a smoky roasted red pepper and tomato sauce for scooping — simple, hearty and full of flavour.
Bouzgene is a rustic Berber flatbread, pan-fried until blistered and crisp, served with a smoky roasted pepper and tomato sauce you scoop up by hand. It's humble, generous food meant for sharing — tear, dip, and go back for more.
Prep 30 min
Cook 30 min
Total 60 min
Medium
- 2 Red Pepper
- 4 Tomato
- 4 Cloves Chopped Garlic
- 1 chopped Jalapeno
- 2 Lbs Semolina
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt
- 3 Cups Water
- 6 tablespoons Olive Oil
Preparation
- Heat your oven's broiler. Lay the red peppers and tomatoes on a baking sheet and broil for about 8 minutes, turning now and then, until the skins blacken and blister.
- Let them cool, then peel away the skins, discard the cores and seeds from the peppers, and drop everything into a large bowl.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the jalapeño and garlic, stirring often, until tender, then add them to the bowl with the peppers and tomatoes.
- With a sharp knife in each hand, chop through the peppers and tomatoes until you have a coarse, soupy sauce; stir and set aside.
- Tip the semolina into a large bowl and stir in the salt and 4 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Gradually work in the water, mixing and squeezing with your hand, until the dough holds together and moulds easily without being sticky or dry, then divide into 6 balls.
- Working one at a time, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat and roll a ball out no thicker than ¼ inch.
- Fry until dark brown spots appear and the bread is crisp, then remove and wrap in a clean towel while you cook the rest.
- To serve, tear off pieces of the warm bread and scoop up the sauce — it'll slip off, so just keep going back for more.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Char the peppers and tomatoes until properly blackened; that blistered skin is where the smoky flavour lives.
- Add the water to the semolina gradually — you want a dough that holds and moulds but isn't sticky.
- Roll each bread no thicker than ¼ inch so it crisps rather than turning bready.
- Keep the cooked breads wrapped in a clean towel to stay soft and warm while you fry the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's coarsely milled durum wheat. Fine semolina gives a smoother dough; in a pinch, mix in some plain flour, though the texture changes.
Yes — the roasted pepper sauce keeps for a couple of days and the flavour deepens, so it's a great make-ahead.
No — a large, heavy skillet over medium heat works perfectly for getting those dark, crisp spots.
