:Maghrebi cuisine

File:Maghreb (orthographic projection).svg]]

The cuisine of the Maghreb, the western region of North Africa, includes that of Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia and Libya, and is by origin a mixture of Arabian, Berber and Mediterranean cuisines, with historic influences from Ottoman and European cuisines.{{Cite book |last=Szabo |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jlYkMxSWdw8C&pg=PA302 |title=Pairing Food and Wine For Dummies |date=2013-01-01 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-1-118-39957-6 |pages=302 |language=en |quote=The cuisine of North Africa, including Morocco, Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia, blends Arabian influence with the traditional regional Berber cuisine, the original inhabitants of North Africa west of the Nile. This area also had many influences from various Mediterranean invaders and European traders and travelers, evident through various ingredients and cooking methods still in use today.}}{{Cite book |last=Silverwood |first=Stephen |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RjILEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT147 |title=Takeaway Heritage: True Stories from Kebab Shops and Restaurants |date=2016-09-09 |publisher=Refugee Radio |isbn=978-0-9929374-2-3 |language=en |quote=Maghreb cuisine is a mixture of Mediterranean, Arab and Berber traditions with a range of historical influences from European colonialism and Ottoman expansion.}} The cuisines of Algeria, Tunisia and Libya and Morocco have also been influenced by French and Italian cuisine respectively.{{cite encyclopedia| editor-first1=Alan |editor-last1=Davidson | editor1-link=Alan Davidson (food writer) | editor-first2=Tom |editor-last2=Jaine | encyclopedia=The Oxford Companion to Food | title=Algeria|edition=3 | location= Oxford | publisher= Oxford University Press | year=2014 | isbn=0-19-967733-6 | pages=12}}{{cite encyclopedia|author-last=Helou|author-first=Anissa| editor-first1=Alan |editor-last1=Davidson | editor1-link=Alan Davidson (food writer) | editor-first2=Tom |editor-last2=Jaine | encyclopedia=The Oxford Companion to Food | title=Morocco|edition=3 | location= Oxford | publisher= Oxford University Press | year=2014 | isbn=0-19-967733-6 | pages=532–533}}{{cite encyclopedia| editor-first1=Alan |editor-last1=Davidson | editor1-link=Alan Davidson (food writer) | editor-first2=Tom |editor-last2=Jaine | encyclopedia=The Oxford Companion to Food | title=Tunisia|edition=3 | location= Oxford | publisher= Oxford University Press | year=2014 | isbn=0-19-967733-6 | pages=835}}{{cite encyclopedia| editor-first1=Alan |editor-last1=Davidson | editor1-link=Alan Davidson (food writer) | editor-first2=Tom |editor-last2=Jaine | encyclopedia=The Oxford Companion to Food | title=Libya|edition=3 | location= Oxford | publisher= Oxford University Press | year=2014 | isbn=0-19-967733-6}}

{{See also|Moroccan cuisine|Algerian cuisine|Tunisian cuisine|Libyan cuisine|Mauritanian cuisine}}{{More information|Moroccan Jewish cuisine}}

In Maghrebi cuisine, the most common staple foods are wheat (for khobz bread{{cite book |last=Qarooni |first=Jalal |title=Flat Bread Technology |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kjZdbchMF94C&pg=PA84 |year=1996 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-0-412-08111-8 |pages=84–}} and couscous{{cite book |last=Smith |first=Andrew |title=The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DOJMAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA567 |year=2013 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-973496-2 |pages=567–}}),{{cite book |last=MacVeigh |first=Jeremy |title=International Cuisine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6VwGAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA273 |date=2008 |publisher=Cengage Learning |isbn=1-111-79970-9 |pages=273–}} fish, seafood, goat,[http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/food/Taste-of-the-Ancients--North-African-Cuisine_8324474 "North African Cuisine."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403233051/http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/food/Taste-of-the-Ancients--North-African-Cuisine_8324474 |date=2016-04-03 }} [http://www.jamaicaobserver.com Jamaica Observer]. Accessed June 2011. lamb, beef, dates, almonds, olives and various vegetables and fruits.

Because the region is predominantly Muslim, halal meats are usually eaten. Most dishes are spiced.Mourad, Mazouz. [http://www.theglobalist.com/storyid.aspx?StoryId=4781 "The Momo Cookbook."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919210651/http://www.theglobalist.com/storyid.aspx?StoryId=4781 |date=2011-09-19 }} [http://www.theglobalist.com The Globalist]. Accessed June 2011.

The use of legumes, nuts, fruits and spices is very prominent. Salt-preserved lemons (l'hamd mrakad) and so-called "oil-cured" olives are distinctive elements of the cuisine.

The best-known Maghrebi dish abroad is couscous,{{cite web |last1=Cheshes |first1=Jay |title=Couscous Royale |url=http://www.saveur.com/article/Travels/Maghreb-Cooking-in-Paris |publisher=Saveur |access-date=3 October 2016 |date=12 November 2012 |quote=North Africa's best-known dish has become one of the most widely consumed foods in France. These days, even ordinary neighborhood bistros often feature a couscous special one day of the week.}} made from wheat semolina. The tajine, a cooking vessel made of clay, is also a common denominator in this region, although the dishes and preparation methods vary widely. For example, a tajine in Tunisia is a baked quiche-like dish,{{cite web |title=Tunisian Tagine |url=http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2165635/tunisian-tagine |publisher=BBC |access-date=3 October 2016}} whereas in Morocco it is a slow-cooked stew.{{cite web |last1=Cloake |first1=Felicity |author-link=Felicity Cloake |title=How to make the perfect chicken tagine |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/mar/13/how-make-perfect-chicken-tagine |publisher=The Guardian |access-date=3 October 2016 |date=13 March 2013 |quote=Does this most famous of all Moroccan dishes actually need to be cooked in a real tagine?}} Pastilla is also an important Andalusian dish of the region.{{cite web |last1=Best |first1=Cassie |title=Chicken & almond pastillas |url=http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2955687/chicken-and-almond-pastillas |publisher=BBC |access-date=3 October 2016}}

Spices found in this region's cuisine are ginger, allspice, caraway, saffron, paprika, cloves, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper and turmeric.{{cite book |last=Winget |first=Mary |title=Cooking the North African Way |page=22}} Fresh peppermint, parsley, or coriander are also very common. Spice mixtures such as ras el hanout, baharat, and chili pastes like harissa (especially in Tunisia) are frequently used as well.

File:Moroccan cuscus, from Casablanca, September 2018.jpg|Couscous with vegetables, topped with tfaya and toasted almonds

File:Brikdish.jpg|Brik with egg, tuna, onion and parsley

File:Mechoui.jpg|Méchoui, a whole sheep, spit-roasted

File:Shakshoka.jpg|Shakshouka with egg

File:Bisteeya.jpg|Pastilla with meat

File:Bread in marocco.jpg|Bread, baked the traditional way

File:TAGINE COOKED CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES WITH MINT TEA IN JEMAA EL FNA SQUARE MARRAKECH MOROCCO APRIL 2013 (8704488002).jpg|Moroccan tajine with bread and mint tea

File:Ghribia.jpg|Ghoriba

File:Berkoukes.jpg|Berkoukes

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