Mehemmer (sp?)

[Suvir Saran]

Driving from Marrakech to the High Atlas Mountains, we made a stop over at Telouet. The most amazing castle, mostly in disrepair and yet a feast for the eyes.

Coming out from there, we saw a beautiful tent set up in the middle of nowhere. We had decided to take no guides and so were on our own for this last leg of our journey.

We stopped went towards the tent, and were surprised to find a restaurant being run from this tent. What was even more shocking was to find out that Saveur Magazine had written this place up.

All they were serving that afternoon was Mehemmer. An omelette that I was later told comes from the Jewish families of Morocco. While it would traditionally be made with potatoes, this one had a mélange of peppers, potatoes, onions and herbs. The crust was a very rich red, almost brown.

Cooked in a tagine and served with a salad of roasted red peppers, bread, harissa and olive oil, it was the best omelette I have ever eaten. And after almost 3 weeks of being guests of the State and being pampered no end and being shadowed by people, this freedom may have had something to do with my thinking this was the finest meal I ate in Morocco.

To this day, a couple of years later, I still think of Telouet, it's Kasbah in ruins and the glorious Omelette Cake we ate in the deserted High Atlas area.

Anyone have a recipe for an Omelette Cake like what I ate?

Any other Omelette Cake stories from Morocco?

I am told one can find similar Omelette’s in Algeria and Tunisia. I am still to discover those.

[chefzadi]

The Algerian ones are thick like a Spanish tortilla or an Italian fritata. The potato one is the most basic. But the fillings are only limited by the imagination of the cook.

Peas, artichokes, eggplant (which doesn't look that great, but tastes so good), spinach, cardoons... any number of vegetables that are found in the regions. For more flavor saute the aromatics first, roasted vegetables and the addition of spices give it that special Maghreb flavor.

[Wolfert]

chef zadi: I really am enjoying re-reading these old threads. Thanks for ressurecting them

This one I never saw on line before and I know the dish. It is called Ammhemer in Morocco and just like a Spanish tortilla except the potatoes are boiled and while still hot are crushed with a fork and mixed with saffron, turmeric, eggs, salt, some vegetables in small amounts along with herbs and slowly baked in a covered tagine about 15 minutes to a side.

Edited March 13, 2005 by Wolfert (log)

[chefzadi]

They're called mehemer in Algeria. One of the simpler ones is loaded with peas. More intensely flavored versions include roasted or caramelized vegetables. Such as eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, onions and garlic. Spices can be added, cumin, coriander, fennel for example. Herbs like zaatar, flat leaf parsley or coriander leaf.

It can be a mezze or a light meal with a salad and Algerian "Arabic" bread otherwise known as a baguette.

(the last reference is for Behemoth )

I also wonder if such omelets are found in the Middle East?

[Smithy]

I second the thanks for resurrecting this thread. I hadn't seen it before now. The mehemmer/amhemer sounds fabulous, and I'm already hungry thinking about making it (although I have a tagine to finish tonight). Someone, please tell me more about the eggs. Are they lightly beaten, heavily beaten, or not beaten but just cracked into the mix?

[Wolfert]

There must be many variations but the one I've tasted was made in the following manner:

The eggs are well beaten in a bowl with the spices, salt and a tablespoon of two of cooled cooked vegetable juices. Fold potatoes into the eggs while they are still warm. Then add a few peas and herbs such as chef Zadi suggested aove, and taste for seasoning. Wipe out the tagine or other flat pan, gently heat, add some oil or butter and spread the mixture over the bottom of the han and cook until the potato-egg mixture begins to set on the bottom. Be sure to shake the pan once in awhile to develop a nice rounded edge. Continue to cook slowly until you feel you can cover the omelet with a plate and do an invert without messing it all up. Then you put in some more butter or oil and return the omelet to cook on the secnd side in the same manner, shaking the pan from time to time, to form a curved edged. Cook slowly enough so you develop a nice reddish brown bottom thanks to the use of good Morccan saffron, but keep in mind the center should be a little gooey. Slip onto a plate and serve warm .

Edited March 14, 2005 by Wolfert (log)

[chefzadi]

Smithy-

As I mentioned before mehemer are similiar to Spanish Tortillas or Italian Frittatas. In fact some are indistinguishable and can be prepared in the same way. Others are distinctively North African in preparation and flavoring such as the one Ms. Wolfert mentioned. The versions with caramelized or roasted vegetables with spice is another regional specialty.

I usually like the place the vegetables in the pan for cooking, if they are already cooked I still arrange them in the pan. Spices, salt and pepper, herbs I beat into the eggs. Of course I whip them as for a French omelet. And North African omelets can be quite thick, more than omelets found on the othe side of the Med.

You can also add pine nuts.