Arabic recipesSweets
Aleppine Mamounieh: Warm Toasted Semolina Breakfast with Ghee & Cheese
Mamounieh is Aleppo's beloved Friday-morning breakfast dish: coarse or medium semolina slowly toasted in fragrant ghee until golden, then plumped in hot cinnamon-kissed syrup until spoonably silky. Topped warm with mild desalted white cheese, ground cinnamon and pistachios, it pairs sweet warmth with gentle savoury stretch.
Also known as:Syrian Mamounieh from AleppoWarm semolina pudding with white cheeseMamounia breakfast porridge
Servings5
Prep time5 min
Cook time20 min
Ingredients
Add ingredients to cart- 180 g medium or coarse durum semolina
- 3.5 tbsp pure cow's-milk ghee (samna)
- 1 litre water
- 220 g sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick and 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 200 g akkawi white cheese, soaked in cold water to desalt
- Ground cinnamon and 60 g slivered or chopped green pistachios
Preparation Steps
- 1Simmer the water, sugar and cinnamon stick in a saucepan for 5 minutes, stir in the lemon juice, and keep the light syrup piping hot over low heat.
- 2In a deep wide pot, melt the ghee over medium-low heat and stir the semolina continuously for 8 to 10 minutes until evenly honey-golden and nutty.
- 3Briefly slide the pot off the burner and carefully ladle in the hot syrup in two additions (it will bubble vigorously), stirring until smooth.
- 4Return to the lowest flame for just 3 minutes, turn off the heat, drape a clean kitchen towel under the lid, and let rest for 10 minutes until glossy and softly flowing.
- 5Spoon warm onto shallow plates, dust with cinnamon, scatter with pistachios and nestle slices of desalted akkawi cheese on top to soften gently.
