About This Dish
The essential bread of Morocco, present at every single meal. Khobz is a round, slightly flattened loaf with a dense, chewy crumb and a golden crust dusted with semolina or cornmeal. Every neighborhood has its communal bakery (ferrane) where families send their dough to be baked in wood-fired ovens, each loaf marked with the family's distinctive pattern. Khobz is far more than bread in Morocco — it serves as the primary eating utensil, used to scoop tagines, mop up sauces, and pinch salads. Wasting bread is considered sinful, and stale loaves are dried and ground into couscous or given to animals.
Ingredients
- 300 g All-purpose flour
- 200 g Whole wheat flour
- 300 ml Warm water
- 7 g (1 packet) Active dry yeast
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1.5 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Anise seeds (optional)
- 2 tbsp Semolina for dusting
Instructions
- 1
Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Let sit 10 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Mix both flours and salt. Add yeast mixture and olive oil. Knead 10 minutes until smooth.
- 3
Optionally add anise seeds during kneading.
- 4
Divide into 2 balls. Flatten each into a disc about 2cm thick.
- 5
Place on a semolina-dusted surface. Cover and let rise for 1.5 hours.
- 6
Prick the top with a fork in a decorative pattern.
- 7
Bake at 200C (400F) for 25 minutes until golden and hollow-sounding when tapped.
- 8
Cool on a rack. Tear — never cut — to serve.
Tips & Tricks
- The mix of white and whole wheat flour gives the authentic texture.
- Anise seeds are a common Moroccan addition that adds subtle fragrance.
- Pricking the top prevents the bread from puffing up unevenly.
- In Morocco, bread is always torn by hand at the table, never sliced with a knife.