Algerian Khobz El Dar Semolina Bread Recipes

KHOBZ EL DAR (ALGERIAN SEMOLINA BREAD)

Steps:

• Mix 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons semolina, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, sugar, yeast, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk in oil, egg, and egg white. Stir in warm milk slowly until a liquid dough forms.
• Cover the bowl with a plate or plastic wrap; let stand at room temperature until frothy, about 1 hour.
• Stir in 2 3/4 cups flour with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms. Cover again and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
• Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the dough and your hands. Mix dough, adding flour as needed, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Shape into a round loaf and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover loosely with a towel and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place until loaf doubles in volume.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Beat egg yolk and water in a bowl with a fork; brush over the entire surface of the loaf. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon sesame seeds on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until loaf is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

ALGERIAN KHOBZ EL DAR -- SEMOLINA BREAD

Steps:

• Grease a large round metal tin / pan (approx 12" across / wide & 1.5" high / deep).
• Place the semolina, flour, yeast, sugar & salt in a very large mixing bowl. (In Algeria we traditionally use huge but shallow wooden bowls for mixing doughs.)
• Make a well in the centre & add the beaten egg & the oil along with 1 cup of water. Mix well, adding more water when necessary.
• Keep mixing until you have a soft dough. Now knead the dough for around 30 minutes until it is soft, smooth & elastic. You will need to add a little water from time to time as the semolina absorbs it.
• If you are having problems with a very sticky dough, don't worry - if you've used the correct amounts of ingredients, everything will be OK - just keep kneading & add dribbles of water to bring the dough back together again.
• After 30 minutes, mix in the nigella seeds if using then with wet hands bring the dough together in a ball.
• Place the dough in the greased pan & with wet hands, gently push the dough until it completely covers the base of the pan.
• Sprinkle a little semolina over the top, cover with a kitchen towel & leave to rise until doubled in size.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C
• Brush the top of the dough with the egg yolks & sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top. Using a skewer, make 6 pricks -going all the way through the dough - 5 evenly spaced holes 1" from the edge & 1 hole in the centre (This will make sure that the bread cooks evenly).
• Place in the upper 1/3 of the oven & cook for approx 35 minutes or until a deep golden colour & sounding hollow when tapped.
• Remove from the oven & allow to cool for 5 minutes bfore turning out onto a kitchen towel. Wrap the bread in the towle & allow to cool on a wire rack before serving.