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Khobz
Round semolina bread
Round Moroccan household bread made with semolina and wholemeal flour
Khobz is the round, flat loaf that sits on every Moroccan table, used instead of cutlery to scoop up tagine and salads. In the older quarters of Fez and Marrakech families still shape their dough at home and carry it on wooden boards to the neighbourhood wood-fired oven, the ferran; at home it bakes perfectly on a hot tray. The semolina and wholemeal give it a slightly nutty taste and a soft, chewy crumb with a thin crust. It keeps for a day wrapped in a cloth and is wonderful toasted. Chef's tip: prick the top all over before baking so it rises evenly and stays flat instead of puffing like a pitta.
- Total time
- 145 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz strong white bread flour
- 3 ½ oz wholemeal flour
- 3 ½ oz fine semolina
- ¼ oz instant yeast1 sachet
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups warm waterapproximately
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp coarse semolina or cornmealfor the tray
- 1 tsp anise or sesame seeds (optional)
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Mix 10 ½ oz strong white bread flour, 3 ½ oz wholemeal flour, 3 ½ oz fine semolina, ¼ oz instant yeast, 1 tsp sugar, 1 ½ tsp salt and 1 tsp anise or sesame seeds in a large bowl. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and most of 1 ½ cups warm water, then work into a soft dough, adding the rest of the water only if it feels dry.
5 minStep 2: Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and stretchy; a small piece should stretch thin enough to let light through without tearing.
10 minStep 3: Divide into 2 balls, cover and rest for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Sprinkle a baking tray with 2 tbsp coarse semolina or cornmeal. Press each ball into a round about 2 cm thick and 20 cm wide and lay on the tray. Cover with a clean cloth.
Step 5: Leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until puffy and when pressed gently with a finger the dent fills back slowly. Under-proving is the most common mistake; the loaves come out dense.
60 minStep 6: Heat the oven to 425°F (400°F fan). Prick each loaf several times with a fork.
15 minStep 7: Bake for 20–25 minutes until deep golden on top and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped.
22 minStep 8: Wrap the loaves in a clean cloth while they cool so the crust stays soft.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 50 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khobz take?
- About 145 minutes in total: 120 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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