Alternative names | Eish fellahi |
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Type | Flatbread |
Place of origin | Egypt |
Main ingredients | Barley, corn, wheat and ground fenugreek seeds [1] |
Bataw ( Egyptian Arabic: بتاو) is a leavened flatbread from Egypt. It is widely consumed in the Egyptian countryside. The main ingredients of the bread vary depending on the region. [2]
In Asyut it is often made with barley, corn, or a mixture of barley and wheat. [1] In Akhmim it is commonly made with corn and fenugreek, whereas in Qena, further south in Upper Egypt, it is exclusively made with barley. [1]
Ball-shaped lumps of dough are placed in an oven, traditionally with a wooden ladle with a long handle referred to as maghrafa ( Egyptian Arabic: مغرفة), and then flattened with the bottom side of it. The loaf is removed when it turns brown and crusty. [1]
In the countryside farmers often eat it with various types of soft white cheeses as a light meal between breakfast and dinner. [2]