Smen

Clarified Butter

Butter is melted and heated for a lengthy time until the milk solids sink and begin to brown, giving a nutty flavour. For traditional clarified butter, skim the froth and pour the clear fat into a container before the milk solids brown. Ghee is a substitute.

MAKES 175 G (6 OZ)

250 g (9 oz) salted or unsalted butter, diced

Put the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat. If using gas, place the pan over the smallest burner and use a heat diffuser, because butter has a tendency to spit if the heat is not low enough.

Simmer very gently for 25 minutes. Pour through a sieve lined with muslin (cheesecloth), set over a bowl. The clear oil is the smen and has a slightly nutty taste.

Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator, although it can safely be stored at room temperature, as is done in Morocco. This keeps for many months.

For sweet pastries using filo, smen is recommended, even with its slightly nutty flavour, because if melted unclarified butter is used any milk solids brushed onto the filo become dark when cooked, spoiling the appearance of the baked pastry.