The Unique “Madfouna Filalia” of Rissani
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The renowned “Madfouna Filalia,” a signature dish from Rissani (moroccan city), is crafted entirely from local agricultural ingredients. Its components include flour to make the bread, beef, kidneys, almonds, walnuts, dates, eggs, and spices.
The preparation of Madfouna begins with baking the bread, where a thin layer of dough is spread out. The filling ingredients are placed on top, then covered with another thin layer of dough, sealing the edges carefully. This is then placed on a baking tray and cooked in an oven. For the best flavor, traditional wood-fired ovens are essential.
One of the keys to the delectable flavor of Madfouna Filalia, a specialty that the residents of Rissani love, is cooking it over coals in a traditional oven. "It just doesn't taste the same if you don't cook it in a traditional oven," says the proprietor of a tiny Madfouna-focused restaurant next to the Moulay Ali Cherif Mosque in Rissani.
Additionally, the meat used in this recipe is unique, and Rissani's local butchers are well aware of the cuts needed. Madfouna can be ordered from restaurants or made at home. However, it needs to be ordered at least two hours in advance due to the meticulous preparation and cooking involved.
Madfouna Filalia originated in Rissani, but this traditional meal has now spread to other parts of the Draa-Tafilalet region. But, according to Moha, an Errachidia restaurant manager, "what you find elsewhere is just an imitation and not the authentic Rissani Madfouna."
