16 Best Rated Dishes With Semolina Flour

Though they are thought to have originated in ancient Phoenicia, melomakaronas are nowadays a typical Greek Christmas treat. These delicious semolina cookies are traditionally flavored with honey, orange zest, cinnamon and other spices, olive oil, and cognac.

Immediately after baking, melomakarona cookies are doused in honey syrup, then sprinkled with ground walnuts. Although some argue that another Greek treat that goes under the name finikia refers to a slightly different dessert, occasionally fried and served without walnuts, today both names are used interchangeably.

This traditional Greek dessert consists of numerous phyllo sheets that are sprinkled with melted butter and coupled with a light semolina custard. When baked and well-chilled, the pastry is traditionally doused in the orange spiced, sugary syrup, allowing the layers to absorb the flavors and transform galaktoboureko into a soft, velvety treat.

This Greek classic is commonly found in pastry shops and traditional taverns across the country.

Rechta is a traditional dish consisting of thin and flat noodles and chicken sauce. The noodles are made with a combination of flour, salt, and water, while the sauce is made with chicken pieces, onions, garlic, oil, chickpeas, ras el hanout, cinnamon, turnips, potatoes, and zucchini.

Once cooked, the rechta noodles are placed into a large dish and topped with the sauce (marga). The dish is especially popular during festive events such as weddings, Eid al Fitr (end of Ramadan), and Ashura.

M'semen is a traditional Maghrebi flatbread made with a combination of flour, semolina, sugar, salt, yeast, warm water, oil, and clarified butter. The dough is kneaded until it becomes smooth, and pieces of it are then flattened and shaped into squares.

Once the dough has been folded and shaped, it is cooked on a griddle or fried in a pan until it becomes crispy on the exterior and chewy on the inside. Although m'semen is traditionally consumed on its own as an accompaniment to coffee or tea, it can also be stuffed with various meats and vegetables. 

A close relative of galaktoboureko—that is distinguished by the use of phyllo sheets—classic Greek galatopita combines semolina, milk, eggs, butter, and sugar into a creamy, custard-like treat. Often enriched with citrus zest (and wrapped in pastry in some regions), galatopita is baked until golden-brown and is typically garnished with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or cinnamon.

With its light texture and delicate flavor, it can be served on any occasion and is best enjoyed well-chilled.

Hailing from Zakynthos, this traditional Greek dessert is prepared with fine semolina flour that is cooked in water until thick and creamy. The mixture is then poured into a deep tray, and when set, it is cut into large rectangular or diamond-shaped pieces that are deep-fried until golden and crispy.

Right before it is served, each piece is generously coated with cinnamon sugar. Fritoura is a staple dessert served at various festivities on Zakynthos, when it is usually prepared in large amounts and fried in traditional cauldrons.

İrmik helvası is a granular Turkish dessert made with semolina, butter, sugar, milk, and pine nuts. Although the ingredients are simple, the preparation of irmik helvasi requires great skills. Sweetened hot milk is stirred into the semolina with the addition of melted butter and pine nuts.

The halva is then served in individual bowls, dusted with cinnamon and topped with a few sautéed pine nuts. This dessert signifies good fortune, so it is typically prepared during religious festivities and shared with friends and family.

Baghrir is a soft and spongy Moroccan and Algerian pancake made with semolina flour. It is characterized by numerous holes on its surface, a result of yeast-produced bubbles in the batter that form and break as the pancake cooks. The pancake is cooked on one side only.

It's recommended to serve baghrir with fruit jams or a syrup made with butter and honey.

These soft dumplings consist of whole apricots that are wrapped in a thin layer of leavened, potato, or fresh cheese dough. Always served warm, the dumplings are usually complemented with melted butter, cinnamon sugar, poppy seeds, or sweetened cheese.

Although they can be enjoyed as the main course, these dumplings also make an excellent and nutritious dessert.