Back to the Maghreb.
As we prepare for our return to Morocco, I keep myself happy by recreating the recipes we tasted while there during our last visit. Today, for example, I am making some Briwats bil J’ben, an appetizer we enjoyed thoroughly at Café Clock in Fez. J’ben is a spreadable goat cheese from the Rif Mountains of Morocco; while I tried my best to make it from scratch, I just could not get the right texture. Perhaps I will learn when we are back in Morocco.
For my recipe, I used homemade goat milk ricotta (thanks to L&B Farm for the fresh goat milk!) and added some finely grated lemon zest and fresh thyme. It worked very well. When buying your phyllo dough, make sure you get the best quality available and pay attention to the manufacture and expiration dates. I’ve been disappointed by old, dry, and flaky phyllo. The rest of the ingredients are easy, and I share my recipe for the Chermoula spice blend below in the notes.
Onward to the Maghreb!
~ David
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 large plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon chermoula (see notes)
- 1/4 teaspoon hot paprika
- 2-3 tablespoons water
- 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup j’ben (see notes)
- 1 egg
- large pinch salt
- 8 sheets phyllo dough (see notes)
Instructions
- Start by making the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped tomatoes, chermoula, paprika, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the tomatoes have melted. Add the water and cook a few moments longer. Purée the mixture and set aside (or you can leave it somewhat chunky).
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place rack in the center of the oven.
- Mix together the j’ben, egg, and salt.
- Working with one sheet of phyllo dough (keep the others covered with a damp cloth), cut it into four strips, each 3-inches wide and 8-inches long. Brush all four strips with melted butter and take two strips and add to the other two to double their strength. Place one teaspoon of the cheese at the end closest to you. Fold over into a triangle, then fold the triangle over again, like folding a flag, until you have used up the strip. Repeat with the second doubled strip of phyllo. The butter should keep them sealed. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo dough sheets until you have used up both the phyllo and the cheese. Brush all the briwats with butter.
- Bake the briwats for 18 minutes, until golden. Divide the sauce between four small ramekins and place a ramekin on each of four plates. Arrange four pastries around each ramekin, garnish with parsley, and serve. Diners can dip their pastries in the sauce as they nibble.
- Makes 16 briwats, serving 4 people.
- Notes:
- — Make chermoula by mixing 2 tablespoons sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon medium-hot paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads. This makes about 1/4 cup. Label and store leftover in a tightly-sealed jar. It is a great seasoning for fish and seafood dishes.
- — J’ben is a soft fresh goat cheese. I used drained fresh goat ricotta mixed with lemon zest and thyme in this recipe. Or you can mix regular ricotta with goat cheese — about 50/50.
- — If you make your own goat ricotta, don’t let it strain too long — you don’t want it too firm.
- — You will have leftover phyllo dough. Use it to wrap fish filets before sautéing/baking, make small hors d’œuvres shells, or a make a b’stilla.
- — Briwats are also spelled using the French: briouats.
© 2025 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Eha Carr
January 18, 2025 at 4:21 amWonderful! I only knew these beauties as briouats! And you chermoula recipe is simpler than mine and I know there is fresh goat ricotta around . . . oh, your plate looks so inviting . . . and lucky, lucky you about returning to Morocco . . . I wish >
Cocoa & Lavender
January 18, 2025 at 7:48 amEha, of course the French colonial spelling would make it beyond all the borders… but we learned them in Morocco as Briwats. I hope you have fun making them!
Mad Dog
January 18, 2025 at 6:02 amThey look delicious! I bet you can find incredible hand made phyllo dough in Morocco.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 18, 2025 at 7:47 amThat’s a very good point, Mad Dog — I hadn’t thought about getting the pastry while I was there. So now my wish list is two: learn how to make the j’ben and find good phyllo pastry.
Mimi Rippee
January 18, 2025 at 6:18 amThey sound incredible. We’re going to be in Morocco for the first time this spring! I cannot wait.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 18, 2025 at 7:45 amOh, Mimi, you are going to love it! The food is incredible. How long will you be there?
Barb
January 18, 2025 at 6:58 amI think if I started eating these they would be dinner! They sound wonderful!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 18, 2025 at 7:44 amBarb — We had it for dinner for the many times I tested the recipe. Who needs more…? Okay, maybe a little salad.
Karen (Back Road Journal)
January 18, 2025 at 7:18 amMuch more flavorful than your average appetizer. Your friends must all wait anxiously for a dinner invitation.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 18, 2025 at 7:43 amAnd I love having them over for dinner! Thanks, Karen!
Carolyne
January 18, 2025 at 8:22 amThose look delicious 😋 and filled with a few of my favourite things.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 18, 2025 at 8:25 amThey were so good Carolyne — I just had to figure out how to make them at home!
angiesrecipes
January 18, 2025 at 12:32 pmLots of exotic words 🙂 The filo pastries look and sound fabulous with goat cheese.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 21, 2025 at 7:54 amIt was all such a great combination, Angie!
angiesrecipes
January 21, 2025 at 11:36 amDavid, I just want to stop by and let you know that all your 9 comments went through with 2 in Spam Folder :-)) Thank you, David. And use potato starch if you cannot find tapioca starch or even cornstarch.
David Scott Allen
January 21, 2025 at 3:36 pmThanks, Angie — I wish I could figure it all out! But I am glad my comments are getting through. And thanks for the tip on potato starch or cornstarch. I look forward to trying the chicken soon.
Frank |
January 19, 2025 at 9:17 amSounds lovely, David!
One question: How tangy is J’ben? I like mildly tangy goat cheeses but some are just too tart for my taste…
And thanks for the tip on phyllo! I don’t use it often so I wasn’t aware.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 21, 2025 at 7:57 amIt isn’t really that tangy, Frank — very mild. I had some luck making it myself and we enjoyed it so much. But it was too thin and leaked from the packets. So I resorted to thicker goat ricotta, which was also not very tangy.
I learned the hard way about the phyllo — I bought it from a local grocery store (the very expensive one) and it must have been sitting in the freezer for years before I bought it. I could not get a single sheet without tearing it. I learned to but it from the Middle Eastern or Greek store only.
Jeff the Chef
January 20, 2025 at 6:55 amStunning! I think I may have had a dish somewhat similar to this, but I can’t tell you what it was called. As far as I’m concenred, you could stuff phyllo dough with just about anything and I’d love it. But this filling sounds magnificent. I’ll have to keep my eyes peeled for goat cheese ricotta.
Cocoa & Lavender
January 21, 2025 at 8:20 amThanks, Jeff — you might be able to find sheep’s milk ricotta a lot easier in an Italian grocery — that would work well. I amde the goat ricotta but fresh goat milk isn’t always available. Honestly, next time I try these, I will combine regular ricotta with some chèvre.
Jeff the Chef
January 22, 2025 at 6:15 amI love the idea of blending ricotta with chevre. I do know where to find goat’s milk, though! So maybe I could try making some sometime. Thanks!
Cocoa & Lavender
January 22, 2025 at 8:58 amI found making the goat ricotta quite easy and it was really good. We only used a bit for the briwats and enjoyed the remainder in ravioli and as a salad.
Ronit Penso
January 20, 2025 at 2:49 pmThese must be so very tasty, especially when served with the spiced tomato sauce.
They actually remind me more of Greek pastries, rather than Moroccan ones. As much as I know, the North African ones use a crispier dough, called “Brik”. It is easily available in Israel, where there are many North African Jews, but so far I wasn’t able to find it in the US. I wonder if that’s what they used in this cafe. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
January 21, 2025 at 8:25 amSmall Moroccan pastries like this are usually formed in one of two ways: in triangles, as I have done, or in cigar shapes. As the ones I had in the restaurant were triangular, that is what I did. Yes, they look like so many little Greek pastries but I am sure there are others worldwide that resemble these! As for brik vs phyllo… they are all basically the same, which makes sense considering the region. In Morocco, they actually use warka which, again, is pretty much the same as brik or phyllo. I am sure the café used warka, the Moroccan version. But as neither that nor brik is available here, phyllo works extremely well.
Ronit Penso
January 21, 2025 at 10:50 amOh yes, there are many such triangle pastries all over the world, like the samosa and others. It was just the combination of filo and cheese that made it so “Greek”. The cigars are indeed more Moroccan, but than again, they also resemble fried spring rolls…
Brik/Warqa is crisper than filo, and I do prefer it for such pastries. I do wish I could find it here, but that’s one thing I haven’t managed to. I guess I can try to make it myself, but life it too short for such a project… 🙂
Raymund
January 22, 2025 at 2:33 pmWhat a great way to bring the flavors of Morocco back home! I love how you’ve adapted the Briwats bil J’ben with homemade goat milk ricotta, it sounds like a perfect balance of creamy and tangy.
CC
January 24, 2025 at 11:15 pmOooh how fun! Returning to Morocco already, David! It must be an amazing place, good for you!
The recipe looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
Inger
January 26, 2025 at 3:17 pmWell of course you need to go back if you can’t get the goat ricotta just right! I’d still be happy to dig in!
Pauline
February 8, 2025 at 12:59 amThis all sound amazing David. I just adore goats cheese, but have never seen goats cheese ricotta here, goats cheese is still quite expensive as is goats milk. Perhaps you’ve been to Morocco by now, sounds incredible. We didn’t get there unfortunately. This is a fabulous dish, and beautifully presented as we have come to realise is your forte. (Sorry can’t seem to add the acute thingy:) Safe travels.
sherry
February 12, 2025 at 12:10 amoh my word these look so good David. How delicious. Enjoy Morocco – or have you been and done that already? 🙂
sherry https://sherryspickings.blogspot.com/
Cocoa & Lavender
February 12, 2025 at 8:35 amThanks, Sherry! They are pretty wopnderful. And Morocco isn’t for a couple of months! Thanks!