I started putting together a Moroccan snack board and realized that I wanted to include something that would be a little different but that I couldn’t buy in the store.

Fekkas meanwhile are Moroccan. I first came to know them many, many years ago when they were served with tea. Fekkas are a type of cookie/biscuit that is slightly sweet. They have nuts in them, usually almonds and sometimes raisins as well.

They are a lot like Italian biscotti in that they are double baked, which is what makes them dry and crunchy. This is where the inspiration for these came from – I wanted to create a savory fekkas that would be perfect for my board!

What is Za’atar?

Za’atar is not as common in Morocco as it is in the Middle East. Typically when someone says “za’atar” in Morocco they are referring to dried thyme. However, in the Middle East it is more complex. Families have their own blends and combinations to make it their own.

Some of the ingredients can include; ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, which is then mixed with toasted sesame seeds, and salt. Sometimes sumac is also added.

Where to Buy Za’atar

The very best za’atar I’ve ever had was given to be as a gift from my friend Amnah in Jordan. It came from Palestine and the flavor is so incredible. I haven’t tried making my own but I did purchase one online from Amazon this summer to test out for this recipe.

The flavor was equally complex (though not quite as good as the gifted za’atar) and I can highly recommend it. Unless you’re using it a lot, the jar should last you quite awhile.

Za’atar by Z&Z

Don’t just stop with making these crackers though. You can mix the za’atar with olive oil for a dip. Toss it on as a “pizza” topping (za’atar is a common topping for manakish bread in Jordan/Palestine/Lebanon.

Once you’ve got your ingredients it’s time to get baking!

Za'atar Fekkas

Yield: 60 crackers

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Additional Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

These crackers are the perfect savory addition to a snack board or stand alone treat.

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups of flour (+ 1/2 cup in case)
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 heaping teaspoons za'atar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.

1. Mix together the dry ingredients in a large bowl and set to the side.

2. In a smaller bowl add the wet ingredients and mix. Then combine the wet ingredients with the dry.

3. Use your hands until everything is in a ball. Knead slightly, just until everything is combined but do not over knead.

4. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and roll into a long snake about 1 1/2" thick.

5. Grease the logs with olive oil and place on a non-stick baking sheet.

6. Place logs onto the baking sheet once pre-heated and bake for 15-20 minutes until the outside of the logs are just beginning to brown. They should still be soft.

7. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

8. Slice the logs once cooled into 1/4-1/2" slices and arrange on a baking sheet for the final bake.

9. Bake until brown and completely firm. The time will depend on how thick you've sliced the pieces.

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In one of my “falling down a rabbit hole while scrolling Pinterest” adventures I came across a recipe for an Arabian taco. Now, I have been quite disappointed in the “French Taco” which if you’re not familiar is basically a panini with french fries and sauce shoved inside. It has absolutely nothing to do with a taco and every time I see a sign for one I get angry. 

But I digress. 

So you can imagine the idea of an Arabian taco had me expecting a shawarma as a taco-imposter. But, I was wrong – sort of. Being the good student I always was I started digging to find out what this was all about.

Tacos arabes come from Puebla in Mexico. But, like all good food origin stories, it’s a grab bag of answers when it comes to how they actually came to be. 

Lebanese immigrants began to settle in Mexico in large numbers at the end of the 19th century. A second wave of immigration happened in the late 1940’s as they were leaving during the Lebanon-Israel War and 6 Day War. Interestingly the vast majority of Lebanese immigrants to Mexico were Maronite Christians who practiced their own version of Christianity alongside Mexican Catholics. 

Of course they also brought their food traditions with them – and this is where Arabian tacos were born. 

Sometimes these are called Mexican shawarma but they’re much more than that. It started with the “meat on a spit” tradition shawarma is known for but with the introduction of Mexican ingredients merged into something new. Lamb (shawarma’s typical meat) was expensive so pork became the meat of choice. Cumin and oregano make up much of the flavor profile of the original version and the pita wrap has been replaced with tortillas in some cases. 

When I finally came up from this rabbit hole expedition my mouth was watering. I HAD to make these! But having neither tortillas or pita on hand I decided to use a Moroccan msemmen which while a little thicker than I might have liked was delicious! You can wrap the meat up in whatever you want. I also changed the recipe to use chicken but I think it would work with any meat. 

Make sure you marinade the meat though – that’s what really makes the flavors come through! 

Chicken Tacos Arabes Recipe

Yield: 6-8 small tacos

Prep Time: 2 hours

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Tacos arabes from Puebla were created by Lebanese immigrants and are a delicious mix of Middle Eastern and Mexican flavors.

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Ingredients

Chicken

• 3-4 chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves crushed
• 1 Tablespoon za'atar
• 1 Tbsp oregano
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp liquid smoke

Chipotle Sauce

• 1 7 or 8oz can chipotle peppers
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp za'atar
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup sour cream (or plain, thick yogurt)
• juice of a lime
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• water

Yogurt Sauce

• 1 cup plain, thick yogurt
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp parsley
• 2 garlic cloves
• salt and pepper to taste

• sliced avocados
• raw onions
• cilantro
• lime wedges
• tortillas or pita bread

Instructions

• Slice or cube the chicken into pieces of a similar size, it doesn't matter which way you do it you just need them to be uniform so they cook at the same time.
• Mix all of the marinade ingredients with the meat and put into the refrigerator to marinade at least 30 minutes up to overnight.

• Heat oven to 475F, you want the meat to cook fast and hopefully get some char too. The chicken can also be grilled if you have access.
• Skewer the chicken so that it is not bunched up, you want to cook it through as quickly as possible. If you don't have skewers you can lay the pieces flat in a baking pan.
• Place into the oven and rotate regularly, until meat is cooked.
• Set meat aside until you're ready to eat.

Chipotle Sauce

• Place everything into a blender or food processor and mix. Add more or less water to adjust the thickness you'd like. The flavors will get stronger the longer it sits.

Yogurt Sauce

• Combine the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate. I think it tastes better when it's sat for a few hours.

Assemble your tacos with your bread base, meat, and toppings. You could also make this into a grain/rice bowl really easily!

Notes

I knew I would be making this in the oven so that is why I included liquid smoke. It gives a taste of a the grill without actually grilling the meat.

I also substituted harissa sauce for the chipotle peppers in the sauce recipe and it worked great!

For my final tacos I wrapped them up with Moroccan msemmen instead of tortillas or pita and it was DELICIOUS!

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Until a few years ago, I was not a fan of Spanish cuisine. Truthfully I really had no idea what “Spanish” food was aside from paella. Rumor had it that the flavors were dull and pork reigned supreme. There might be some truth to that but with many visits to Spain under my belt now I have come to appreciate just how varied and wonderful the culinary culture is – even if I don’t eat pork.

In December my friend and travel partner in crime Sofie of Wonderful Wanderings was going to Seville to take a Spanish language course. Seville is a 1 hour flight from Marrakech and easily one of my favorite places on Earth. Seriously. So, when she asked if I might want to come to visit while she was there the answer was obvious. Heck yes!

I knew she would have classes every morning and while I could have opted to just lazy about the apartment I realized I could use this time to do something I really wanted. I love cooking but it has been a long time since I really challenged myself to learn a new cuisine. Most of my cooking of late is either making meals at home for the family or tinkering with Moroccan recipes. This was an opportunity to really go in depth with Andalucian cuisine hands on. I’ve always wanted to learn more about this region’s cuisine because of the combination of Arabic and European influences that make it up.

I reached out to Not Just a Tourist, a company I had previously done a food tour with in Seville to see if they could help with my special request. I didn’t just want a few hour class, and I didn’t want a class where I was just cutting onions. I really wanted to spend several days immersed and cooking a wide variety of dishes.

That is exactly what I got.

On my first day it was a trip to the market to pick up the items we’d need for class that day and talk a little about what else we would make over the three days I would be cooking. I cooked and ate so many dishes but decided to share four of them with you. These were my favorite and I think they are versatile enough that you can use them in several different ways.

Cold soups are a big part of southern Spanish food culture. But I’m not talking about gazpacho. No, not at all. Salmorejo and Ajo Blanco are two varieties of cold soups popular in the summer months. They’re so popular in fact that my teacher told me people are having cold soup bars at their wedding parties and serving variations of these soups and more. I didn’t know I could like cold soup so much until I made these.

Salmorejo

You can’t visit Seville without having this at least once. Even though it’s meant for summer, many places have it in the winter too – mostly for tourists who aren’t arriving in the hotter months. This dish is really easy to make at home.

Salmorejo

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Additional Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

A popular tomato based cold soup that is eaten during summer months.

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Ingredients

• 750 grams peeled tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• (1) 100 gram soft bread roll
• 100 mL olive oil
• red wine vinegar
• pinch of salt

Instructions

• Add the tomatoes and garlic to a blender and begin to mix.
• Rip up the bread roll and add pieces so that it incorporates with the mixture.
• Once blended taste the mixture and add salt and red wine vinegar. A small amount of each to begin with and adjust to your taste.
• Blend 2-3 minutes.
• Slowly pour the olive oil into the running blender to emulsify the oil.
• Once the oil has been incorporated transfer the mixture to a bowl and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.

Notes

The soup can be served as is or garnish with slices of cucumber, chopped hard boiled eggs, or the traditional way of serrano ham.

Ajo Blanco

The literal translation of this soup is “white garlic” and so it shouldn’t be a big surprise that this is a garlic soup. I really love the story of how this soup came to be. It’s an incredibly old recipe and the mixture of cultures makes me smile – even if the story is a bit sad. When the Romans conquered the Iberian Peninsula men were given land after serving in the army for seven years.

These people were often quite poor and a staple of their diet was bread spread with a garlic paste. Remember, tomatoes hadn’t arrived in Spain yet as this was before the discovery of the “new world.” Later, after the Arabs arrived almonds were added to the mixture to adjust the taste. It’s one of the original soups of Europe!

Ajo Blanco

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Refrigerate: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

A typical cold soup served in southern Spain during summer months.

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Ingredients

• 150 grams raw almond
• 1 1/2 cloves garlic
• (1) 100 gram soft bread
• 200 mL cold water
• 15 mL sherry or balsamic vinegar
• appx 60 mL olive oil

Notes

If you want a more garlicky soup you can add more garlic but remember the flavor will get stronger as it chills. I suggest making it once by the recipe and then adjusting the next time.

Garnishes: Diced green apple, cucumber and onions tossed in vinegar and olive oil make a nice condiment for the top. You also could garnish with a quick grilled prawn and green grapes. A small dusting of smoked paprika also dresses it up.

Mushroom and Broad Beans with a Poached Egg

This is a take on a classic tapas called habas con jamon or broad beans with ham. As we don’t eat pork I was looking for dishes that I could make that would be authentic but we could still eat. This dish delivered and to be honest, I think that I prefer it more this way (I do still remember what ham tastes like!) This can be served as a tapas or a side dish to a main meal with or without the egg. I also think it makes for a great breakfast with some toast!

Mushrooms and Broad Beans with a Poached Egg

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

A simple dish using mushrooms and flat, broad beans common in southern Spain.

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Ingredients

• 250 g broad beans (green beans also work)
• 4-6 button mushrooms
• 1/2 medium onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp sherry wine (or apple cider vinegar)
• 4 eggs - 1 for each tapas sized serving
• salt and pepper

Instructions

• Clean beans, cut into 3-4 centimeter pieces and blanch.
• Add olive oil to a cooking pan and heat to medium high heat.
• Place the 3 cloves of garlic into the oil and gently cook until they begin to brown. Remove from the pan and discard. This will add the flavor to the oil without the bitterness of cooked garlic.
• Finely dice 1/2 an onion and add to the oil. Reduce heat.
• Cook the onion until it begins to almost caramelize.
• Add the sherry wine to the onions and turn up the heat.
• Add the strained beans and season with salt and pepper.
• Finely dice the mushrooms and add them to the mixture until soft.
• Portion mixture to four bowls while poaching one egg to top each dish.

Vegetarian White Bean Stew

This dish is one of those classic comfort foods you find in every culture. It’s also a catch-all dish. Women would put together the odds and ends left in the pantry to make this. Just like red beans and rice in New Orleans, this dish was typically made for wash day. Something that could be on the stove cooking while she was otherwise busy. Traditionally it’s made with chorizo (and if you want that recipe check out Lauren’s blog Spanish Sabores to make it). The vegetables used here are just suggestions, feel free to use what you have.

Vegetarian White Bean Stew

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

This is a great catch-all dish. Made from bits and bobs left in the refrigerator and given bulk with beans.

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Ingredients

• 300 grams white beans soaked overnight
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 leek or 1/2 onion diced
• 1/2 cup mixed green and red peppers
• 1 zucchini
• 1 small turnip
• 1-2 small potatoes
• 1-2 small carrots
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• your choice bay leaf, thyme or oregano
• olive oil
• 3 liters water

If you’re planning to visit Seville I highly recommend checking out the food culture. You can check out some great tours on Bookmundi. Challenge what you think you know about Spanish food when you go! Some of my other favorite things to do in Seville include visiting the Real Alcazar, taking a bike ride in Parc Maria Luisa and seeing the Plaza Espana.

I have a great guest post for you today! When M and I were in Germany we ate quark at the breakfast buffet we enjoyed when we were visiting Mainz. This fresh cheese is really delicious and is way easier to make than I ever realized. If you’ve never made cheese this is a great recipe to start with. Thanks to Cate from International Desserts Blog for contributing this to MarocMama!

Have you ever heard of quark?

If you haven’t, you’re not alone! I had no idea what it was until I moved to Germany. During that first year abroad I lived with a three German host families (I was an exchange student). The one thing they all had in common? Little tubs of thick and creamy quark in their refrigerators. From the first bite I was in love. I ate quark every chance I got, whether for breakfast, as a snack or in the form of German cheesecake.

What Exactly is Quark?

For years I mistakenly thought quark was a type of yogurt. After all, in German grocery stores it’s sold right next to the yogurt. You’ll also find quark in both plain and fruity flavors, just like yogurt. Many people eat it for breakfast, as a snack or for dessert.

But quark isn’t yogurt at all! It’s actually a soft, unaged cheese. And it’s quite healthy – a great high-protein alternative to Greek yogurt. One thing I love about quark is that it’s not tangy or sour like yogurt often is.

Quark can be prepared in both sweet and savory ways. When I crave a savory breakfast, I spread plain quark on a slice of hearty whole-grain bread. When I want a sweet breakfast or a quick snack, I top a bowl of plain quark with fresh berries and a touch of honey.

And when I’m looking for a delicious treat, I mix in fresh whipping cream and jam to make a decadent fruit quark dessert (see recipe below). Mmmmmm…no matter how you eat it, quark is delightful.

For years I assumed I could only eat quark when I was in Germany. Nobody in the US had ever heard of it! Then, to my surprise, I found some very small, and very pricey, single-serving cups of quark at Whole Foods. I bought one, but was disappointed with the texture and flavor.

Once again, I was resigned to only enjoying quark while traveling in Europe — until I discovered just how easy it is to make at home. I wish I’d known this sooner! All you need is milk, buttermilk, and 12-36 hours. It’s so simple and so good. Why not give quark a try!

How to Make Quark  

Ingredients

• 6 cups milk (1.5 liters)
• 1 1/2 cups cultured buttermilk (350 ml)

Directions

• Bring milk to a simmer over low to medium heat. Stir frequently. Once the milk has reached a simmer, take the saucepan off the heat and let the milk cool to room temperature.

• Whisk the buttermilk into the milk. Then pour the mixture into a bowl or a couple jars and cover with a clean tea towel. (I’ve used glass bowls, glass jars, and clean plastic yogurt containers and all worked equally well.) Let stand in a warm place for 12-36 hours.

On a warm day, it usually only takes about 12 hours for my quark to set. Sometimes, though, it takes as long as 36 hours. If your quark has not thickened after 12 or even 24 hours, don’t worry. Just let it sit out longer. I’ve found it helpful to set the quark on a warm stove after I’ve baked something in the oven. That tends to speed things up, especially on cold days.

• Once your quark has set, the next step is to drain off the whey and thicken it up. The easiest way to do this is using a large, thin, clean tea towel and a strainer that can sit upright in the sink.

First, cover the strainer with the tea towel. Then pour the quark into the strainer. The next step is to hang the quark so more whey will drain off. There are two ways you can do this.

The first way is to gather the corners of the towel together and tie the towel to your faucet so the whey will drain into your sink.

Or you can tie the towel to a long spoon (or use a rubber band to secure the towel to the spoon) and then place the spoon on the edges of a tall bowl. Just make sure there’s enough room for the whey to gather in the bottom of the bowl. If you use the spoon and bowl method, you can let the whey drain off while chilling in the fridge.

I let the whey drain off the quark for a couple hours. If your quark ends up thicker than you’d like, just mix a little whey back in. Six cups of milk typically yields 2 cups of quark.

You now have plain quark! As I mentioned, I like to spread plain quark on a slice of hearty bread or eat it out of a bowl topped with fresh berries and a touch of honey. When I want something a little more decadent, I make fruit quark dessert.

All you need to make fruit quark dessert is fresh whipping cream, jam, and quark.

For two portions of fruit quark dessert, whip 1/2 cup plain quark with 1/4 cup whipping cream until thick. For a little extra flavor, add a splash of vanilla extract or a sprinkle of vanilla sugar (link #2). Then mix in 1 tablespoon jam. Top with fresh fruit and enjoy!

Cate is a former expat turned part-time nomad on a quest to find the best desserts and sweet treats around the world. Join her delicious adventure – and pick up helpful travel tips and delicious recipes along the way – at the International Desserts Blog.