Tuesday, September 4, 2012

khubz addaar - khoubz el-dar - house bread?

My children and I have been watching The Great British Bake Off, and we loved that second episode with all the different types of bread, rotis and naans, was brilliant!

On visits to Algeria, we've had this spongey, warm, semolina bread.


A lot of homemade bread in Algeria is made on a separate gas cooker or tabouna, very much like the type you'd take camping, and a clay dish. But this one is made in the oven.
When my Algerian sil was here, she made it for us


and I watched (I love watching people cook)


and took note!


It's perfectly therapeutic! As you knead it, you might want to use it as a pillow ... OK maybe not. It's just so soft, is all I'm saying.

Khoubz El-Dar

700g fine semolina
350g flour
2 tbsp salt
2 tsp yeast
3 tsp sugar
2 tbsp butter
3 tbsp oil
water
black seeds (optional)

Put the yeast, sugar and some warm water in a cup to bubble up. Combine the semolina, flour, salt, butter and oil. Then gradually add water as you knead the stiff dough. It's ok for it to be a little stiff at this stage. Gradually keep adding water until it just slightly softens. Then add the yeast-sugar-water mixture. Take a deep breath. Knead away all of your frustrations! Add some black seeds if you like. Keep adding the water gradually (we're talking quarter cup increments or thereabouts). I knead dough directly on the worktop, so I added just enough water each time, for me to be able to work with it, without it spilling all over the floor. Patience is definitely required. Each time the dough absorbs the water, pat it down and add some more, until you're left with quite a wet, slightly sticky, soft pillow of a dough ball! The dough should be wet enough for you to place it in a greased tin and then spread it out with oily fingers until it takes the shape of the tin. The thickness of the bread shouldn't be more than an inch. This recipe should give you two circular loaves. Beat an egg yolk add a tablespoon of oil and brush it over the top. Leave it in a warm part of the kitchen and let it rise. An hour or so should do it. Then bake in a moderate oven until the top and base are golden brown.

Enjoy with a brothy meal, mop up a soup with it, or have it for breakfast with some cheese or jam! It's versatile!



7 comments:

moonstruckcreations September 5, 2012 at 8:57 AM  

Yum yum, will definitely give this a try - looks a bit like the Turkish bread we sometimes get to eat!

Helenxx

Tammy September 8, 2012 at 9:06 PM  

Yum! Homemade bread is the best! Warm from the oven. Delish! There definitely are not enough hours in the day for everything I want to do ... and sometimes I just don't have the energy to do anything. Hope you are having a good weekend. Tammy

Anonymous,  September 11, 2012 at 12:33 AM  

oh don´t tempt me...I love bread, but I´m trying to cut down!

Unknown September 11, 2012 at 11:25 PM  

Salaam sis, Thank you for commenting on my blog. It seems great minds do think alike! Lovely bread it is! I <3 it! Allah maakoum and may Allah make your move easy!

Lorybeat September 12, 2012 at 11:53 AM  

That look so nice!
I could not stop looking at the ring though haha! :D

Anonymous,  June 25, 2013 at 1:51 AM  

if you leave the bread to rest for half an hour or so before adding the yeast you can cut back on a lot of the kneading!

Fruitful Fusion July 12, 2013 at 10:35 PM  

Excellent point from seekingjenna! So true!

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