About This Dish
The iconic bread of the Saharan nomads, baked directly in hot sand and ashes beneath a campfire. A simple dough of flour, water, and salt is formed into a disc and buried in the sand that has been heated by the fire. After 20-30 minutes, the bread is dug up, brushed clean of sand, and broken open to reveal a perfectly cooked, slightly smoky interior. Taguella is the most primal and authentic bread in Morocco — a survival food of desert caravans that has been made for millennia. No desert camping experience is complete without sharing taguella under the stars.
Ingredients
- 300 g All-purpose flour
- 180 ml Water
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Build a fire and let it burn down to hot coals and ashes.
- 2
Mix flour, salt, water, and oil into a firm dough. Knead 5 minutes.
- 3
Flatten into a disc about 3cm thick.
- 4
Scrape aside coals. Bury the dough in hot sand beneath the fire.
- 5
Cover with coals and sand. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- 6
Dig up, brush off sand, and crack open. The interior should be cooked through.
- 7
At home: bake at 200C (400F) on a stone for 25 minutes for a similar result.
Tips & Tricks
- The sand must be very hot — test by dropping water on it. It should sizzle immediately.
- Brush all sand off thoroughly before eating.
- The smoky flavor from the fire is part of the charm.