North African Flat Breads 3 Varieties by brianjwood

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North African Flat Breads 3 Varieties
Submitted by brianjwood on August 21, 2002 at 9:47 am

DESCRIPTION
North African Flat Breads -3 varieties

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Family / Ethnic / Regional

INSTRUCTIONS
SALUF BI HILBEH
FLAT BREAD WITH FENUGREEK AND CORIANDER PASTE
Makes 12 loaves 1
Oven temperature: 260°C ( 500°F)
Cooking time: 4 minutes each lot

1 sachet active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 cups plain flour l
2 cups wholemeal flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
oil or samneh (ghee, clarified butter*)
1 quantity Hilbeh**

1. Soak yeast in 1/4 cup water and stir to dissolve.
2. Sift flours into a mixing bowl, remove I cup flour and keep
aside.
3. Blend remaining water and salt into yeast liquid and pour
into flour. Mix in a little of the flour to thicken liquid, cover and leave in a warm place for 10-15 minutes until frothy.
4. Blend in remaining flour in bowl, then beat by hand for 10
minutes, or on electric mixer using dough hook for 5 minutes.
5. Turn onto a floured board and knead in enough of the
reserved flour to make dough smooth and satiny. Return to
bowl, sprinkle top of dough lightly with flour and stretch a
sheet of plastic film over top of bowl. Leave in a warm place until doubled in bulk -about 30 minutes. Preheat oven.
6. Punch down dough and turn out on board. Knead a little,
then divide into 12 equal portions.
7. Place a heavy flat griddle or baking sheet on centre shelf in
oven and heat for 10 minutes. Grease with a wad of paper
towelling dipped in oil.
8. Roll out each portion to a 15 cm (6 inch) round and prick
with a fork. Brush top lightly with oil and spread on 1 teaspoon
hilbeh**. Lift 2 loaves onto a lightly floured, flat-edged baking sheet or plywood board and slide onto heated griddle or baking sheet.
9. Bake in hot oven for 4 minutes. Top may be lightly browned
under a hot grill.
10. As breads are removed, wrap in a cloth to keep them warm
and soft. Serve warm .
Note: If breads begin to puff up during cooking, press top
with a folded cloth. Breads should be bubbly, but should not
form a pocket.

LAHUH
SOUR DOUGH FLAT BREAD
This sour dough bread is cooked in a pan as you would
cook pancakes. It is favoured during Ramadan and other
Moslem feasts when enormous quantities of food are
prepared and consumed. No doubt its popularity lies in the
simplicity of ingredients and preparation.
Makes about 10 rounds
Cooking time: 5-6 minutes each bread
2 cups wholemeal flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
oil for cooking
1. Sift flour into a mixing bowl, add water and stir to make a
thin batter .
2. Stretch a piece of plastic food wrap over bowl and leave at
the room temperature for 2-3 days until fermented. Length of time depends on temperature. It is fermented when bubbles pepper
the surface and batter has a sour smell.
3. Place just enough oil in a heavy frying pan to finely coat the base. Put over medium heat. Stir batter.
4. When oil is heated, pour about 1/3 cup batter into the pan,
shaping it into a round with the back of a spoon.
5. Cook for 2-3 minutes until browned and surface looks dry ,
then turn and cook for further 2-3 minutes. Lift out and place on a plate.
6. Repeat with remaining batter, stacking Lahuh on the plate as
they are cooked. Add more oil to pan as required.
7. Serve warm as an accompaniment to Yemeni meals, or eat
Lahuh warm, drizzled with melted butter and honey.
*Clarified Butter. Gently head a stick of butter until melted fully. Raise the heat a bit, and as soon as the butter solids have separated and fallen to the bottom, pour of the clear liquid, being careful not to get any solids. It may pay to pour it off through a few layers of muslin to be sure. This clarified butter is brilliant for frying, it doesn't burn! It keeps for ever in the fridge.
** HILBEH. 2 tsp fenugreel seeds;cold water;2cloves garlic;3/4 cup chopped coriander leaves;1/2 tsp salt; 2 tsp lemon juice; 1 small hot chili.
1) Soak fenugreek seeds in 1/2 cup water for 12 - 18 hours until a jelly like coating is evident on the seeds.. Drain off water.
2) Place fenugreek in a blender, add garlic and coriander and blend to a coarse puree, adding salt' lemon juice & chili and enough cold water to draw the ingredients over the blades. Put in sealed jar and store in refrigerator.

KHOUBIZ
LEBANESE FLAT BREAD
Of all the Middle Eastern breads this is the most widely
known. In recent years its popularity has increased
enormously as Western tastes become more adventurous .
Though widely available commercially in the cities ,
khoubiz is easily made in the domestic oven or electric
frypan. Though the home product is not as evenly
browned, it has a better flavour and finer texture.
Traditionally khoubiz contains no shortening, but I
find a little oil in the dough improves the flavour and
texture. Many Lebanese cooks include oil also.
Makes 81oaves
Oven temperature: 260C { 500F )
Cooking time: 4- 5 minutes
6 cups plain flour
1 sachet active dry yeast
2 cups warm water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons oil
1. Sift flour into a large mixing bowl and warm in a low oven.
2. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water, add remaining water
and stir in salt and sugar .
3. Remove about 2 cups flour from bowl and set aside. Pour
yeast liquid into centre and stir in some flour to make a thick
liquid. Cover with cloth and leave in a warm place until frothy.
4. Stir in rest of flour, adding oil gradually, then beat until
smooth, either by hand for 10 minutes, or on electric mixer
using dough hook for 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle some of the reserved flour onto a board, turn out
dough and knead for 10 minutes, using more flour as required.
Dough is ready when it is smooth and satiny with a slightly
wrinkled texture. Shape dough into a ball.
6. Oil bowl, put in dough smooth side down then turn over so
that top is coated with oil. Stretch plastic wrap over bowl and
leave in a warm place to rise until almost doubled in bulk -
about l- l 1/2 hours. Preheat oven.
7. Punch down dough and turn out onto lightly floured board.
Knead for a minute or so, then divide into 8 equal pieces, rolling each into a ball.
8. Roll each piece into a 25 cm (10 inch) round and place on a
lightly floured cloth. Cover with another cloth and leave for 20
minutes.
9. Heat a large baking sheet or flat griddle on the lowest shelf
in an electric oven; in a gas oven select the section of the oven with the most even heat, probably near the top.
10. Place a round of dough on a lightly floured baking sheet
with one flat edge or on a piece of plywood, spreading it evenly. Shake to ensure that it will slide off easily.
11. Rub heated baking sheet or griddle with wad of paper
towel dipped in oil then slide dough onto it. Bake in hot oven
for 4-5 minutes until it puffs up like a balloon. If you would like it browned on top, turn quickly and leave for a minute. Remove bread and wrap in a cloth to keep it warm and soft. Bake
remaining loaves.
To bake in electric frypan (a good alternative if your gas oven
does not heat evenly): Preheat frypan on highest setting with
metal lid on, vent closed. When heated, oil base quickly and
slide dough onto base. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, remove
lid, turn bread over, re-cover and cook further 2 minutes.

These come from The Complete Middle East Cookbook, by Tess Mallos (WHSmith Books)

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