Homemade spring roll wrappers (phyllo dough)
Easy homemade brick pastry sheets
Moroccan brick sheets, known as ouarka or warqa in Arabic, are a type of spring roll wrapper. These very thin and delicate pastry sheets are made from flour and water. These versatile sheets are a cornerstone of Moroccan cuisine, widely used to prepare a variety of traditional dishes.
During the month of Ramadan, warqas are an essential ingredient. They are indispensable for creating delicious specialties such as almond briouats, Moroccan-style chicken spring rolls, minced meat and zucchini rolls, assorted stuffed cigars, and, of course, the iconic Moroccan pastilla (bastilla) and mhencha with minced meat.
It is important not to confuse Moroccan brick sheets warqa with Vietnamese spring roll wrappers, which are made from rice and need to be soaked in water before use. Additionally, Moroccan brick sheets are not the same as phyllo dough, although they can be used as a substitute in recipes.
Note that these sheets are not eaten raw like Vietnamese rice-based spring roll wrappers; they must be baked or fried.
Table of Contents
What is moroccan warqa?
Warqa is a traditional Moroccan brick sheet made from flour and water, creating a batter similar to that used for crêpes.The preparation involves brushing the batter onto a skillet set over a bain-marie, forming a thin, transparent film. This highly flexible sheet is cooked on only one side.
When using warqa, you’ll notice that one side is smoother than the other; The smooth side should always face outward. After cooking, the sheets are immediately brushed with oil and covered with plastic wrap to keep them soft and pliable.
For a better understanding of the process, you can watch videos demonstrating the method in detail.
How to make homemade spring roll wrappers easily?
I rarely buy packaged spring roll wrappers “brick pastry sheets” because they’re less flexible than homemade ones. I know that many people cannot find freshly handmade. Last year, I had a lot of requests for the recipe for homemade spring roll wrappers.
I subsequently created a brief tutorial during the month of Ramadan, explaining how to craft these incredibly supple pastilla sheets.
What are the ingredients ?
It couldn’t be simpler, you’ll need:
- Flour
- Water
- Salt
- Oil (a few drops)
The method for making moroccan spring roll wrappers is also very simple. The batter is prepared like french crêpe batter, but slightly thicker. However, the cooking process can be done either in a pan placed directly over very low heat or steamed over a bain-marie.
Since the batter is applied very thinly to the skillet using a brush, the movement needs to be quick to keep the brick sheets soft and flexible.
When using the steaming method over a bain-marie, the sheet cooks slowly. If the technique is not mastered perfectly, you can go back and cover any spots that are not properly coated with batter without any issues. The sheet doesn’t have time to dry out on the edges and become brittle.
Materials you will need :
- A bristle brush or small new sponge
- a non-stick frying pan
The ideal brush for spring roll wrappers is made of natural silk or natural bristles. This brush holds the batter well, and when you run it over the pan, it leaves a thin layer. The silicone brush doesn’t work very well.
This is the kind of brush you need: pastry brush
You will need a non-stick frying pan, preferably without high edges, the size of the brick sheets you want to make, like this one: skillet for spring roll wrappers
Video recipe
Preparation steps :
1. Sift the flour into a bowl and add the salt, oil and water.
2. Whisk together. You can use a blender.
3. Strain this batter through a strainer.
4. Add a little water to a saucepan or a high-edged pan of the same width as the skillet for the double boiler.
5. Once the water is simmering, place the skillet on top.
6. As soon as the skillet is hot, dip a brush or a small sponge into the batter and, using a circular motion, coat the entire surface of the pan with a thin, film-like layer.
7. Pass the brush coated with batter again over the areas that are not well covered. Be quick, as the sheet dries quickly. See the picture and video tutorial above.
8. The sheet is ready when the top is dry, and the edges begin to peel away. It doesn’t need to cook for long, as it sets almost instantly when brushed. The edges of the sheets must not be allowed to dry out.
Baking homemade brick pastry
9. Carefully remove the sheet with your fingertips and place it on an oiled plate. Lightly brush it with a little oil to prevent it from drying out and sticking to the next sheet. Cover the plate completely with plastic wrap to keep the sheets soft and prevent them from drying out in the open air.
10. Continue baking the spring roll wrappers in the same way as above. Stack the sheets on top of each other, making sure to lightly oil each one and cover it with plastic wrap each time.
11. Use the brick sheets the same day, preferably within 24 hours, to keep them very flexible. Make sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
A little tip:You can directly create strips as you brush the batter. These strips will be used to make cigars without having to cut the discs of sheets.
very flexible brick pastry
What to do with spring roll wrappers?
This recipe for moroccan homemade spring roll wrappers is very easy and requires very few ingredients. You can make all kinds of bricks for Ramadan and every day with this recipe. In addition to the recipe suggestions I listed above, you can make:
Chicken and béchamel sauce cigars
Peanut cigar
Minced meat and zucchini rolls
Seafood pastillas
Ricotta and chive brik
Tuna Brik
You can vary the stuffing as you like.
Homemade spring roll wrappers (phyllo dough)
EQUIPEMENTS
INGREDIENTS
- 250 g flour 8.8 oz
- 400 ml water 13.5 fl oz
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oil
- Oil to coat the brick sheets once cooked
PREPARATION
- Sift the flour into a bowl and add the salt, oil and water.
- Whisk together. You can use a blender.
- Strain this batter through a strainer.
- Add a little water to a saucepan or a high-edged pan of the same width as the skillet for the double boiler.
- Once the water is simmering, place the skillet on top.
- As soon as the skillet is hot, dip a brush or a small sponge into the batter and, using a circular motion, coat the entire surface of the pan with a thin, film-like layer.
- Pass the brush coated with batter again over the areas that are not well covered. Be quick, as the sheet dries quickly. See the picture and video tutorial above.
- The sheet is ready when the top is dry, and the edges begin to peel away. It doesn’t need to cook for long, as it sets almost instantly when brushed. The edges of the sheets must not be allowed to dry out.
- Carefully remove the sheet with your fingertips and place it on an oiled plate. Lightly brush it with a little oil to prevent it from drying out and sticking to the next sheet.
- Cover the plate completely with plastic wrap to keep the sheets soft and prevent them from drying out in the open air.
- Continue baking the spring roll wrappers in the same way as above. Stack the sheets on top of each other, making sure to lightly oil each one and cover it with plastic wrap each time.
- Use the brick sheets the same day, preferably within 24 hours, to keep them very flexible. Make sure to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap.
- A little tip:You can directly create strips as you brush the batter. These strips will be used to make cigars without having to cut the discs of sheets.
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