Bazeen (bazin)

Bazeen is Libya's emblematic barley dough, a smooth, supple ball often served with a tomato sauce and fish or meat. It is traditionally eaten by hand, dipped into the sauce. It is very common at the table in ...

55 min
4 servings
Medium
Budget-friendly
🇱🇾 Libya

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Ingredients

500 g Barley flour (or finely ground barley semolina)
1 l Lukewarm water
1 tsp Food-grade salt
1 tbsp Olive oil

Spices & seasoning

Fine salt

Optional extras

1 tbsp Wheat flour for binding

On the side

500 g Tomato sauce with fish or meat (your choice)

Nutrition facts

463 kcal per serving

Protein: 17 g
Carbohydrates: 84.5 g
of which sugars: 1.9 g
Fat: 4.6 g
Fiber: 4.4 g

Ecomely’s estimate, calculated from the ingredients with the ANSES Ciqual food composition table, excluding sides and seasoning added to taste.

Instructions

Heat about 500 ml of water in a saucepan until very hot but not boiling, then set aside the rest of the water, lukewarm.
In a large bowl, put the barley flour and salt, then add the hot water in a thin stream while stirring with a wooden spoon to form a lumpy dough.
Gradually add the lukewarm water while kneading with your hands until you have a smooth, supple, elastic dough that no longer sticks to your fingers.
Form a ball, cover it with a damp cloth and let it rest for 10 minutes so it softens.
Lightly oil your hands and the inside of a bowl, then shape the bazeen into a smooth dome by gently rolling it between your palms.
Place it in the oiled bowl, cover and let it rest for 15 minutes before turning it out onto a serving plate.
Serve right away with the hot sauce poured around it, tearing off small pieces by hand to dip.

Variations and tips

Wheat version. Replace half the barley flour with wheat flour for a softer dough that is easier to work with.

Using what's easy to find here. Barley semolina is not always available: whole wheat flour or a mix of flour and fine semolina gives a quite decent result.