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Maakouda are traditional potato fritters that are popular throughout the Maghreb, especially in Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The fritters are usually prepared plain, but they can also be stuffed with meat, tuna, or cheese, although not that often.
They're made with potatoes, parsley, garlic, flour, salt, and pepper. The potatoes are boiled, mashed, and mixed with other ingredients into small disks which are then deep-fried in hot oil until golden brown. Maakouda is traditionally served as an appetizer, a side dish, or an ingredient in a long sandwich roll that's usually sold as street food and served with harissa, coriander, and lemon juice.
Briouats are small and crispy Moroccan pastries that can be stuffed with a variety of ingredients such as chicken, lamb, cheese, or lemon. The pastry is either fried or baked, and it is often additionally sprinkled with various herbs and spices.
It is typically folded into cylindrical or triangular shapes, then served as an appetizer. Briouats are especially popular during the month of Ramadan.
MOST ICONIC Briouat
Loubia is a traditional North African dish consisting of stewed white beans. This dish is very popular in Moroccan, Tunisian, Algerian, and Libyan homes, where the beans that have been simmered in a zesty tomato-based sauce are typically scooped up with homemade flatbread.
It is comfort food that can be served both as an appetizer, garnished with some coriander or parsley, and as a side dish - especially when used as an accompaniment to fried fish. Simple, quick, and delicious - it is unsurprising that loubia is commonly found in homes throughout Maghreb region.
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Moroccan cigars or sigarim is a traditional dish originating from Morocco, but it's especially popular in Israel. The dish consists of phyllo pastry that's filled with ground lamb (or beef), onions, garlic, and a variety of spices such as cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and nutmeg.
Once filled, the phyllo pastry is rolled into an elongated shape reminiscent of a cigar. The rolls are then fried in oil until golden brown. Once prepared, Moroccan cigars are served as an appetizer, usually with a sumac-yogurt dip on the side. The dish is a staple at North African eateries called mizrahi, where it's often accompanied by mint tea.
Though its origins presumably lie in Morocco, matbucha is also a favorite in Israel, where it was brought by Jewish immigrants. The dish consists of roasted bell peppers and tomatoes seasoned with garlic and ground paprika. In Morocco, it is typically enjoyed as meze—assorted small dishes—while Israelis typically think of it as an appetizer.
Matbucha should always be served drizzled with a generous amount of olive oil, accompanied by a warm flatbread on the side.
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