Khobz Sahrawi is a traditional Western Saharan recipe for a classic dish of barbecued sardines served with a chermoula sauce. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Western Saharan version of: Khobz Sahrawi.
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Khobz Sahrawi, or Sahrawi bread, is a dense, round bread that’s a staple in the local diet. Traditionally baked in the embers of a fire, the bread has a distinctive taste and texture shaped by the sands of the desert. It’s a versatile bread, served at practically every meal, and used as a utensil to scoop up meats, stews, and sauces. Baking bread is considered an art in Western Sahara, passed down through generations.
Ingredients:
500g bread flour (you can also substitute half wholemeal flour to improve the texture)
375ml water
2 tsp salt
2 tbsp oil
Method:
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead until smooth and soft, about 15 minutes. You can do this using a bread hook attachment on a mixer, a bread machine, or by hand.
Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes.
After this time, uncover the dough and divide into four equal pieces and shape it into a smooth ball, repeat with the other four. Cover it lightly with oil and plastic wrap and let it sit for 1-2 hours until the dough its soft and will stretch easily. 30 minutes before you are ready to cook the bread, preheat the oven and bakestone to 220C or as hot as your oven will get.
Take a ball of dough then grab it between he thumb and index fingers of both hands. Then gradually stretch the dough as you quickly rotate it with your fingers, working around the edge of the dough. (Note: This is not the usual way to toss out the bread.
Stretch the dough until it is nearly see through, as thin and as large as you can get it, without getting bigger than your peel. If the dough is sticking to itself, dust it with flour.
For the traditional method, place the dough in the embers of a fire and cook until done through and slightly blackened in places. If cooking in an oven, place a pizza stone in an oven pre-heated to 220C, transfer the dough to a wooden board coated with semolina then shake out to transfer to the hot bakestone.
Close the oven and let the bread cook for 3-4 minutes. Poke down any large bumps with a fork as the bread is cooking, otherwise the bread will be too crispy.
Remove the bread from the oven and serve immediately or place directly in aplastic bag to keep it from getting hard. If you don’t want to make all the breads at once, you can store the extra dough balls in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic for a few days.
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