Khobz Tunis Algerian Helouwa My Family Recipes

Steps:

• For the syrup:.
• Put the sugar and the water into a large pan and boil for approx 10-15 minutes. Add the mazhar during the last couple of minutes. Allow to cool of slightly before pouring onto the khobz.
• For the Khobz:.
• If making ground almonds at home - preferable - please coarsely chop them in a food processor until you have pieces the size of sago or large cous cous for example (ie not too fine).
• With an electric whisk, beat the eggs until fluffy. Incorporate the sugar and butter into the eggs, whisking for at least 5 minutes.
• Fold in the ground almonds, bread/toast, baking powder, lemon zest and vanilla essence. Take care not to knock the air out of the mixture.
• Pour into a round metal tin approximately 50cm across and 35cm high. and level off. Cook in preheated oven at gas mark 5-6 for 40 minutes or until brown & a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
• Once cooked, turn off oven. Remove the Khobz and pour the syrup over the top. Return the khobz to the oven for 5 mins - not to cook further only to aid absorbtion of the syrup.
• Remove from oven and using diagonal cuts, cut the khobz tunis to make diamond shapes approximately 1.5'' in diameter. Put into metallic paper cases (so syrup doesn't soak through) or serve without cases.

Steps:

• Put the semolina and flour in a very large but shallow bowl - a gas'a if you have one is best. Make a well in the centre and add 1/2 a glass of water. Mix enough water to create a workable dough then begin kneeding. Do this (until your hands hurt! ) until the dough becomes very smooth and elastic - you can put this dough in the bread maker on dough setting to make things easier if you like. Once the dough has reached elastic stage leave it to stand for 5 minutes
• Take sunflower/vegetable oil etc and lightly coat work surfaces then pull off pieces of dough and form balls slightly larger than a golf ball.
• Gently stretch these balls over the m'ri or pan and cook (approx 30 seconds). Keep the cooked bread covered with cloth or towel so it doesn't dry up and finish cooking the rest.
• You can start tearing the bread straight away or leave it until you are finished if you are alone (I say this because it is best done with 2 people - one cooking one tearing!) Depending on your personal preference/which side of Algeria you come from, you'll decide whether to tear it into smaller or larger pieces --
• I only make this when I can rope someone in to help. It is one of my favourite dishes (without the apricots though) and I like to get the kids involved tearing the bread if I can't get an adult in time!

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the eggs & the oil.
• Add the baking powder (& lemon zest if using), & slowly add the flour, mixing the ingredients with your hands until a dough forms. You will probably not need all of the flour.
• Once you have a firm dough, you can shape your helouwa.
• To shape, you have 2 choices: you can roll out to 5mm thickness & cut out with your favourite cookie cutters OR you can roll into a 1cm thick 'sausage' & make rings & straight lengths them decorate with a 'Nakkach' or fork if you don't have one. (See photos).
• If making the sesame version, once you have cut out all your cookies, brush a little beaten egg over the top of the cookies & sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
• Place on a tray lined with aluminium foil (shiny side up) & bake for 25-28 minutes. The cookies should be pale but hard when tapped. (Unless you want them soft on the inside, in which case you should take them out after 20 minutes).
• Allow to cool then store in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks.

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.

Steps:

• Method For the Khobz (bread):.
• Put the semolina and flour in a very large but shallow bowl - a gas'a if you have one is best. Make a well in the centre and add 1/2 a glass of water. Mix enough water to create a workable dough then begin kneading. Do this (until your hands hurt! ) until the dough becomes very smooth and elastic - you can put this dough in the bread maker on dough setting to make things easier if you like. Once the dough has reached elastic stage leave it to stand for 5 minutes.
• Take sunflower/vegetable oil etc and lightly coat work surfaces then pull off pieces of dough and form balls slightly larger than a golf ball.
• Gently stretch these balls over the m'ri or pan and cook (approx 30 seconds). Keep the cooked bread covered with cloth or towel so it doesn't dry up and finish cooking the rest.
• You can start tearing the bread straight away or leave it until you are finished if you are alone (I say this because it is best done with 2 people - one cooking one tearing!) Depending on your personal preference/which side of Algeria you come from, you'll decide whether to tear it into smaller or larger pieces --.
• Method for the Marga (sauce):.
• Finely chop the onion and garlic and place it in a large heavy bottomed pan with the meat or chicken and ras el hanout. Fry gently to seal the meat/chicken. I use my pressure cooker for this.
• Chop the carrot, parsnip & courgette into 6ths. Cut the potato into 1/4's and roughly chop the swede. (Peel the carrots, potatoes, parsnip & swede).
• Add the vegetables to the meat along with 1L of water and turn up heat so they begin simmering. If using the chilli add it now, along with salt & pepper. If cooking in a regular pan then cook for 40 minutes like this. If using the pressure cooker as I do then 20 minutes will be enough.
• Add the tomatoes, chick peas and dried mint and 1/2L more water or enough to create a 'stew' consistency.
• Return to heat and cook in pan for further 30 minutes and if using pressure cooker then cook on med to high for a further 25 minutes.
• Finally, place the Khobz in a a gas'a or very large dish (or individually if preferred) and pour over the Marga (sauce) arranging the meat so that everyone has a piece.

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.