Khobz Eddar (Home-baked Algerian Bread Recipe)

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A Staple Algerian Cuisine Component

Bread is a staple component of the Algerian cuisine, most popular and best loved of which is Khobz Eddar. Literally meaning the home’s bread, referring to the fact that in most Algerian homes this bread is made at home, despite being also widely available in the markets.

This bread is had everyday for breakfast, where it is had with a variety of foods such as the famous Algerian Chakchouka, as well as their olive oil and olives and for scooping many dips and dairy curds and cheeses. Khobz is also always had with soups in Algeria and as such is a staple Ramadan table component.

The Algerians insist to make this bread at home, especially during the month of Ramadan, and consider it a tradition.“I bake my bread during Ramadan. In my household, this is a tradition that lives on.” says Radia Youcef, who generously agreed to share her Khobz Eddar recipe here with us.

Ingredients

  • 500g bread flour
  • 1 tsp dry yeast
  • 
1/2 tsp salt
  • 
1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp nigella seeds (black sesame seeds) + a pinch for surface
  • 2 eggs (one yolk kept aside for the egg wash)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3/4 cup warm milk
  • 1/4 cup butter

Dilute the yeast with the sugar in 1/4 cup of warm water. set aside for 5 minutes. Then mix this water with the warm milk.

In a deep bowl, place the flour, salt, one egg and 1 egg white (reserving the yolk for later), the oil, 1 tsp nigella seeds. Gradually add the diluted yeast and milk mixture and water to the flour mixture, kneading well until you obtain a homogenous sticky dough.

Roll the dough into a ball, cover with cling wrap and set aside 10 minutes.

Grease an oven tray, then flatten the dough in the tray to obtain a 2 cm thick disc. Using a knife, trace squares on the surface of the bread.

Spread the remaining egg yolk on the top, then sprinkle with the remaining nigella seeds and set aside and let it rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 370F/200C. Bake the bread for 30 minutes or until golden/brown. Serve hot and fresh.

Meet Radia Youcef

The warm and sweet mother of 3 lovely children is a medical doctor, who following her passion, turned to become a food blogger. Radia was born and raised in Algeria, before she moved to the US then Canada only to settle in Dubai two and a half years ago. So you can safely say, she had been around and knows her way around food. Radia loves all things food, especially discovering new recipes and sharing her family recipes. She has a special affinity for pastries and thinks, “the more complicated the better” and always says “If it’s time consuming, it means greater joy later”… In her blog “Rado Touille En Rond” Radia shares her Algerian recipes, along with recipes from other cuisines. If you are a French speaker, make sure to follow her for exquisite Algerian and other recipes.

Read & learn more about Algeria and its cuisine and culture on these links:

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