Berber cooking class in Khamlia
Learning to make medfouna in a family home in the village, and eating it straight out of the fire.
What Berber pizza actually is
Medfouna is the dish people here half-jokingly call “Berber pizza”. It is nothing like an Italian pizza: it is a round dough, filled and sealed over the top like a flat pie, baked slowly until the crust is crisp and the filling still juicy.
Inside there is usually minced meat, onion, almond, parsley and spices, though every family has its own version and its own way of sealing it. It is home food and celebration food, not a dish invented for tourist restaurants.
The name means “the buried one”, because it was traditionally baked buried under hot sand and embers.
Khamlia, the village where it is made
Khamlia is a few kilometres south of Merzouga and is known for its Gnawa community, descended from people who came up from sub-Saharan Africa along the caravan routes. Their music, with metal castanets and drums, is one of the things people remember most from a trip to southern Morocco.
The class takes place in a family home in the village, not in a kitchen set up for tourists. That is the difference, and it is why it needs arranging in advance: the family has to be told.
How the class works
It takes a morning or an afternoon, depending on when you would rather go:
- We take you from the camp to Khamlia.
- You learn to make the dough: the flour, the water, the resting and the feel of it.
- You make the filling and learn to seal it, which is the part with the knack to it.
- It bakes the traditional way, while you drink mint tea.
- You eat the medfouna fresh out of the fire, with the family.
Questions about the cooking class
Does it need booking in advance?
Yes. The class happens in a family home in Khamlia and they have to be told. Mention it when you book your stay, or as soon as you know your dates.
Can you make a vegetarian medfouna?
Yes. Tell us in advance and the filling is made without meat. Let us know about any allergies too.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, it is one of the activities that works best with children: they get their hands in the dough and eat what they made.
What language is it in?
Someone from the team goes with you to translate. The family speaks Arabic and Berber; you do not need to communicate with them directly.
How much does it cost?
It depends how many of you there are and whether it is combined with the 4x4 trip. Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and numbers and we will give you a fixed price.
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Book the cooking class
Tell us when you are coming and how many you are, and we will arrange it with the family in Khamlia.
+212 661 614 125 · We always reply the same day.
Keep reading
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- Discovering the Sahara by 4x4 Beyond the big dunes there is another desert, full of landscapes, stories and ways of life to discover.
- Book your stay at the camp From €100 per tent per night. WhatsApp is the fastest way: you write, we reply, it is done. If you would rather take your time, use the form.