Ingredients
Dough
- 700 gplain flour
- 7 ginstant yeast
- 1 tspsalt
- 1 tspsugar
- 450 mlwarm water
- 3 tbspolive oil
Filling
- 2 kgonions, sliced thinly
- 200 mlolive oil
- 4 tbspsumac
- 1 tbspground allspice
- 1 tspcinnamon
- 1 tspblack pepper
- salt
Chicken
- 1chicken, jointed
- 1onion
- 1cinnamon stick
- 1 tbspallspice
- 2bay leaves
- salt
To finish
- olive oil, for the pot
- 50 gpine nuts, toasted
To serve
- yoghurt
- a green salad
Directions
- Slice the onions as thinly as you can and salt them lightly. Cook them in the olive oil over a low heat for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring now and then, until they collapse into a soft golden mass. Take the full hour.
- Stir in the sumac, allspice, cinnamon and pepper and cook 5 minutes more. Sumac by the tablespoon is what makes it Jordanian and it should taste distinctly sour, close to the point of too much.
- Poach the chicken with the onion, cinnamon, allspice and bay for 40 minutes, then cool it and pull the meat into large pieces. Keep the poaching broth; it goes into the dough and the layers. Make a soft dough with the flour, yeast, salt, sugar, water and oil, knead it 8 minutes, and prove it 1 hour.
- Divide the dough into six pieces and roll each into a thin round the width of your pot. Roll them properly thin, close to transparent at the edges. Thick layers stay doughy in the middle of a covered pot.
- Oil a deep heavy pot generously and lay in the first round. Spread a layer of the onion mixture, scatter chicken over, and moisten with a spoonful of broth.
- Repeat with the remaining rounds, finishing with dough on top and tucking the edges down the sides. Brush the top with olive oil and prick it in a few places. Cover the pot with a tight lid or foil and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 1 hour. Uncover for the last 15 minutes to brown the top.
- Rest it 15 minutes, then run a knife round the edge and invert it onto a platter, or serve it straight from the pot in wedges. Scatter the toasted pine nuts over and serve with yoghurt.
Technique
- It is heavy food and a small wedge goes a long way.
- Good sumac is deep red and slightly moist; dull brown sumac has lost its sourness.
- It reheats well, covered, the next day.
Substitutions
- Shredded rotisserie chicken to save an hour.
- Ready-made pizza or bread dough.
Variations
- Vegetarian, with the chicken left out entirely.
- Musakhan, the open flatbread version of the same flavours.
- Made with lamb.
History
Northern village dish baked in a covered pot; the name refers to the filling being buried under dough.
Frequently asked questions
What is Makmoura?
Makmoura is a main from Jordan: layered dough pie packed with onions, sumac and chicken, from Ajloun. Northern village dish baked in a covered pot; the name refers to the filling being buried under dough.
How long does Makmoura take to make?
Makmoura takes 1 hr plus 1 hr rising of preparation and 1 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Makmoura?
Yes, within limits. Shredded rotisserie chicken to save an hour. Ready-made pizza or bread dough.
What is the most important thing to get right in Makmoura?
Stir in the sumac, allspice, cinnamon and pepper and cook 5 minutes more. Sumac by the tablespoon is what makes it Jordanian and it should taste distinctly sour, close to the point of too much.
