Ouarka — Morocco

Ouarka, also called warqa, is a nearly transparent sheet of wheat dough used as the wrapping for pastries such as pastilla and briouates. On its own it has almost no flavor; its role is to turn crisp and delicate once fried or baked around a filling. It is reported throughout Morocco, in home kitchens, on markets, and at pastry shops, and is not tied to a single town. Similar leaves made with a share of semolina are also produced in some coastal areas, used for the same range of pastries. The dough is kneaded with water and a little oil until soft and elastic, then a small ball of it is dabbed against the underside of a heated, inverted pan known as a tobsil; the heat sets a thin round sheet almost instantly, which is peeled off and stacked with cornstarch between layers to keep the sheets from sticking. Once enough sheets are ready, a filling is spooned onto each one before it is folded into a triangle or rolled, then fried or baked until golden. Some cooks add semolina to the dough for extra crispness, or enrich it with egg; fillings vary widely from one household to another, ranging from spiced chicken with almonds and cinnamon to seafood or a sweet almond paste, and many kitchens today buy ready-made sheets or substitute egg-roll wrappers rather than stretching the dough by hand.