The dough mistake that makes mhadjeb tear
If your mhadjeb rips when you fold it, it is almost never the filling. It is the dough.
In Sétif we rest the dough until it feels like a soft earlobe, not like bread dough. Skip that rest and you will fight it on the pan.
The rule I use:
Mix flour, a pinch of salt, a spoon of oil, and warm water until it just comes together.
Rest it 20 to 30 minutes, covered.
Divide, oil your hands, and roll each piece very thin. You should almost see the board through it.
Filling goes in the center. Too much filling is the second reason it leaks.
Fold, then cook on a hot dry pan until the spots turn gold.
The full English-language book has exact amounts, rest times, the classic tomato-onion filling, and the variations I actually cook at home. No guessing from a video.