Bazin

Bazin

Bazin is an unbaked barley flour dough that is boiled in water, kneaded while hot and shaped into a dome. Around it you pour a red stew of lamb and potatoes and set hard-boiled eggs. Among Libyan Jews it was served on holidays and ceremonial occasions; in Muslim Libya it is also a common communal dish.

Prep time: 30 minutes · Cook time: about two hours · Total: two and a half hours · Yield: 6 large servings · Difficulty: advanced

How to make barley dough without a traditional majraf

The traditional tool is a strong wooden stick, because the dough is too heavy to stir with an ordinary spoon. In an Israeli home it is safer to make discs of dough and boil them in water, then knead them in a stand mixer with a dough hook or with wet hands while they are hot but bearable. You get the same dense dough without wrestling with a boiling pot.

Ingredients (for 6 servings)

• 600 grams barley flour
• 100 grams white flour
• 1 teaspoon salt and about 550–650 ml water for the dough
• 800 grams lamb shoulder with a little fat, in large pieces
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 200 grams tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon caraway, hot pepper to taste
• 800 grams potatoes, halved lengthwise
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 1.5 liters hot water, salt and pepper

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

Barley flour is sold in health food stores and on specialty flour shelves. The 100 grams of white flour make kneading easier; a gluten-free version isn’t possible with barley flour, which contains gluten. Beef cut no. 8 can replace the lamb, but the taste will be milder.

Method

1. Cook the stew. Brown the lamb in oil, add the onion, and then the paste and spices for 2 minutes. Pour in the water and cook covered for 75 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes. Put the halves into the stew and cook for 25–30 minutes until soft but not falling apart. Keep the stew hot.
3. Make the dough. Mix the flours and salt and add water gradually until you have a stiff, non-sticky dough. Divide into six discs about 2 cm thick.
4. Boil the dough. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the discs at a bubble for 25–30 minutes. They will be dense and cooked through to the center.
5. Knead while hot. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. Knead in a strong mixer or with wet hands until there are no lumps; add a tablespoon of cooking water at a time only if it is dry.
6. Shape and serve. Form six small domes or one central dome, make a hollow in the top, pour sauce around and over it, and arrange the meat, potatoes and eggs.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

This is a large festive serving. Half a serving of bazin — half a dough dome, meat, potato and half an egg — is about 510 calories and suits most diners better. Barley is rich in fiber, but that does not make the dish low in calories.

Variations and tips

• You can serve one dome in the center and eat it communally, as is customary in Libya.
• The dough should be smooth and dense, not airy like bread and not soft like polenta.
• Leftover dough hardens in the fridge; reheat it by steaming or in a little sauce.

Summary

Bazin is a technique, not a bread: boiled and kneaded barley flour that takes the place of couscous or rice. A full festive serving is about 1,020 calories; half a serving about 510. For more dishes see Tripolitan cuisine.