Kesra is a Moroccan country bread that is common at every meal in the region. It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and to sop up all of the delicious sauces and salads that are traditional to Moroccan and north African food. It is often used in the place of utensils. (I've also seen it referred to as hobz or khobz.)
This bread is typically prepared with a mixture of wheat flour and medium grind polenta flour (corn meal). I've also seen versions with semolina in place of the corn flour (I've tried it with both corn meal and semolina, and loved it either way).
It's easy to make, as it only requires one rise. The hardest part is determining when you have achieved the right balance of flour and water, as the dough appears to be pretty wet when you start out. Only add extra flour by the tablespoon and wait until it is incorporated. You don't want your dough to be too dry.
It can be flavored with anise, nigella, or fennel seeds for special occasions, or it can be sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds or coarsely ground polenta. You could also substitute some whole wheat flour as well as your favorite herbs.
This bread smells so amazingly good when it is baking!
This bread is wonderful fresh out of the oven and passed around prior to a dinner of a stew or tagine. It's also terrific dipped in olive oil seasoned with pepper or chile flakes. It also freezes well for later. You can simply tear off pieces, or cut it into wedges.
This month, the #BreadBakers are making yeasted flatbreads!! After the recipe, check out all 23 of the linked yeasted flatbread recipes from this wonderful group! Thank you to Mireille of The Schizo Chef for hosting this month.
Kesra - Moroccan Country Bread Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp sugar
15 ounces (3 1/2 C) unbleached all purpose flour
3 ounces cornmeal (2/3 C), plus more for dusting
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
2 1/4 cups warm water (about 100 degrees F)
Spray oil or olive oil
Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
- Whisk the yeast, sugar, flour, cornmeal, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl if kneading by hand.
- Add the butter/oil and water, and knead for about 10 minutes by hand, or 7 minutes by mixer with the dough hook, adding flour by the tablespoon, until you have a smooth slightly sticky dough.
- Divide the dough in half and form each piece into a ball.
- Lightly oil the bottom of a half sheet pan, and sprinkle it with cornmeal. Place each dough ball on the baking sheet, and pat them into disks, about 8 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick.
- Lightly brush the tops with oil, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and about 1 inch thick, about 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Bake the loaves for 30 minutes, reducing the heat to 350 degrees halfway through. The loaves should be golden and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
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As always, you make such beautiful loaves. You inspire me with your recipes and photos too.
ReplyDeleteAww, thank you Renee.
DeleteI have not had Kesra, although I am a huge fan of Moroccan tagine. This looks amazing. I will have to make this the next time I make Moroccan food.
ReplyDeleteThanks Cali! I need to make Tagine!
DeleteSo beautiful, Karen! I would definitely be the "tear off a hunk" kind of girl and not a "slice a lovely wedge!" I can imagine how good it smells with the mixture of flours. Yum!
ReplyDeleteThat's how I approached it Jenni =)
DeleteThey are gorgeous... My next in to-do list... Thanx for sharing..
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see yours!
DeleteOh, my... another one for me to try! I still have some ka'kat in the freezer, and now this tempts me even more!
ReplyDeleteyou are on a roll... (literally!)
So much bread, so little time. Thank goodness for freezers.
DeleteThat looks absolutely delicious!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Wendy!
Deletelove the texture
ReplyDeleteCool.
DeleteCornmeal sounds like a great addition!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great aroma.
DeleteThe lighting in your photos is so inviting and you've created a beautiful bread highlighted in a stellar photograph. I always look forward to your bread posts!
ReplyDeleteYou made my day Holly =)
DeleteKaren I simply love your Kesra. Simply stunning. My almost 51/2 yr old took a look at pinterest pics and said "Mama yours is the best!" She then added she didn't like anyone's other than her mama's....this until she saw your Kesra and was like "Mama did you make that?" and I said "no dear that's mama's friend's" and she was like "that one looks AWESOME!!"
ReplyDeleteGeorgina, that's about the sweetest comment I've ever received! I'll be smiling all day! Hugs to your daughter.
DeleteThis bread is typical in Egypt as well, where the vendors walk through the streets with boards filled with the little loaves atop their heads. Yours are as pretty as any I've ever seen, Karen! Nicely done!
ReplyDeleteThanks Stacy!!
DeleteThese look perfectly golden brown and gorgeous! I can never get my loaves that round.
ReplyDeleteThanks Heather!
DeleteSuch a beautiful bread! Love the crumb. My mother loves adding cornmeal to fried dumplings so she'd love this.
ReplyDeleteIt does add some crunch!
DeleteThe texture is so good! And love the sesame topping :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fluffy and perfectly baked Moroccan bread. Love the sesame seeds on the top.
ReplyDeleteLovely flat bread and its look like a gaint size burger bun :P so soft.........
ReplyDeleteGorgeous as always, Karen. This is a beautiful bread that I can't wait to try and your photography is beautiful as well. Always spot on. Both are something to aspire to.
ReplyDeleteAmazing bread would love to tear a piece of that bread and have it tagine.
ReplyDelete