Confessions of a 1L Bakeaholic: Moroccoloza, aka Moroccan Pizza

If you know me well, you know not to get me started on Morocco because I literally could talk about it forever. I was only there for six weeks in the summer of 2009, but I have been infatuated with "mysterious" Morocco ever since I saw Jimmy Stewert and Doris Day in Alfred Hitchcock's "Man Who Knew Too Much" back in 2000. Since then I have had a most wild and wonderful wanderlust, especially regarding the Middle East. I declared my undergraduate major in Middle Eastern Studies for the simple reason that the region, its history, and the Arabic language fascinated me like nothing other.

One of the "benefits" to being a transfer at W&M was that the only way I could fulfill my degree requirements for Middle Eastern Studies was if I studied abroad for at least a summer. Upon transferring, I was open to studying anywhere in the Middle East that had a suitable program and was deemed "safe" to the conservative American mindset, though I had a natural inclination to study in Morocco. As soon as I got my first semester schedule, I sensed I had gotten lucky. I had been warned by William and Mary students that it was next to impossible to get into Arabic 101...yet somehow I got into an 11 am section. Aaand the professor (Driss Cherkaoui) had an obviously Moroccan name. After that, the pieces seemed to fall into place on their own, and the next thing I knew I was boarding Royal Air Maroc with my fellow classmates, boys and girls who were to become some of my closest friends at the College.

I really do not have a favorite Moroccan memory; every day my senses were bombarded with the sights, sounds, and smells of the magnificent Maghreb. Being henna-accosted in Marrakesh. Listening to a classmate teach some Moroccan youth how to say "f*$# you" in English. Haggling for matching jelebas (and jelly shoes!!) in the Meknes souk. Naming the cats that lurked by the school. Running in my Pink sweatpants and being chased by some Moroccan teenager on a bike. Listening to the Gambler on repeat in the Transatlantique. Eating chocolate croissants and drinking copious amounts of mint tea. Finding that hole-in-the-wall shawarma joint that cost less than $1 usd for a sandwich and fanta.

I actually had the opportunity to return last summer to not only continue my Arabic studies but also TA Arabic to the younger American students as well. I had received State Department funding which covered my tuition. Unfortunately, due to the twin evils of terrorism and sickness, I was not able to make the trip. As Jo McKenna would say in the Hitchcock film, "Que Sera Sera." I know I will return to al-Maghreb in the future, and I stress "know" here because this desire is not subject to "insha3llah." In the meantime, I will continue to allow Morocco to inundate my everyday life: my apartment decor, my dress, and most importantly, my cuisine!

Moroccan cuisine can best be described as a fusion of French and Middle Eastern elements. I kind of found this to be a "best of both worlds" situation; only in Morocco is a communal lunchtime tagine of lamb, sweet potatoes, and rich saffron couscous followed by sinfully sweet creme brulee. One can buy dates, dried apricots, and spices by the kilo and yet buy melt-in-your mouth beignets and pistachio gelato one block down in the same neighborhood.

Tonight I was craving the spices of Morocco and the carbs of a good loZa, so I decided to try my hand at making a Moroccoza (Moroccan Pizza). The kefta recipe is adapted from epicurious.com; the rest is improvised.

Ingredients for Kefta
-1 lb. ground lamb (ground beef works as well)
-1 small yellow onion, chopped
-handful parsley, chopped
-handful cilantro, chopped
-1/4 tsp each: cinnamon, ginger, cumin, coriander, chili pepper
Preparation for Kefta
-combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix well with (clean) hands
-form lamb mixture into meatball-sized balls
-stick under boiler for 5-10 minutes, until sizzling and only slightly pink on the inside
-set aside on paper towel to absorb grease
Ingredients for Za
-ball of pizza dough (available at Publix, Trader Joes, Harris Teeter, etc.)
-sauce of your choice (I used classico light alfredo)
-1 eggplant, sliced
-sea salt
-tbsp olive oil or olive oil cooking spray
-1 tomato, sliced
-10 kalamata olives, sliced
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 cup feta cheese
Preparation for Za
-using a rolling pin, roll dough on pizza stone (stones can be found at TJ Maxx, Kitchen Outlet Stores, Pampered Chef, etc. and they are definitely worth the initial investment!)
-spread dough with sauce
-sprinkle eggplant slices with sea salt and sautee over medium heat until slightly brown and tender
-spread tomato slices, eggplant slices, garlic, kefta, and olives over pizza
-sprinkle feta cheese atop other pizza toppings
-bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes until pizza has reached desired crispiness
-let cool for 2-3 minutes, slice, and enjoy! I hope you are tantalized by the tastes of Morocco:)

Salaam and bi-siHaa (peace and too your health),
~E