Khobz, alternatively transliterated as khoubz, khobez, khubez, or khubooz, is the usual word for “bread” in Standard Arabic and in many of the vernaculars. It is a staple of any Middle Eastern-inspired meal at my table.
The first time I learned of khobz was while making an Imam biyaldi recipe from a Middle Eastern cookbook over a decade ago.
The cookbook author suggested serving the stuffed aubergine recipe with plenty of bread to mop up the juices, so I thought I’d try one of her recipes: khobz, an Arabic flatbread.
I was rolling out the dough into small, flat circles when my (now ex) Iraqi/Norwegian husband arrived home from work one day. He asked me what I was making, and I said, in my dreadful and embarrassing Canadian/Scots accent: “Co-bEZ”
“hhkk – clearing the throat sound – ubbs!” he says, “I remember khobz!”
“I remember once when we lived in Abu Dhabi,” he continued, “we drove to the bakery in an old Nissan Datsun to get some khobz and when we got back to the car Dad saw that the car keys were still in the ignition and the car door was locked. And yea, some guy got a wire clothes hanger and jimmyed the door open for us. There you go, that’s how I remember khobz!”
He would have been around 7 or 8 at this time. It just goes to show you how food memories can linger.
Secret suppers at the Aald Harbour Hoose
Little did I know that over a decade later, I’d have perfected my khobz recipe and technique, and I’d be breaking bread and creating food memories around a table for 10, surrounded by international guests at my ‘secret’ suppers.
Khobz has become a staple for the final night of my Shetland Wool Adventures tour guests, whom I’ve been hosting at the Aald Harbour House in Lerwick, Shetland.
Here’s how I make it.
What you’ll need
- 600 grams/ 4 cups strong white bread flour – you can use plain flour, if you wish, or a combination of white and wholemeal. Use bread flour for the best results.
- 7 grams/ 1 sachet fast action dried yeast – releases carbon dioxide making the dough rise.
- 1/2 tsp sugar – this feeds the yeast which helps the bread rise.
- 2 tbsp olive oil – oil coats the flour and inhibits the gluten network, resulting in a softer, tighter crumb and softer crust.
- 1 tsp salt – as well as adding flavour, salt tightens the gluten structure and adds strength to your dough. It helps the bread to hold on to the carbon dioxide gas that is formed during fermentation, supporting good volume and it also slows down fermentation and enzyme activity in the dough. Don’t skip it.
- 300 ml/ 1&1/4 cup lukewarm water – responsible for the consistency of the dough; water is required for yeast fermentation.
How to make khobz
- Add the yeast and sugar to the water in a measuring jug and leave a few moments while you weigh out the remaining ingredients.
- Add the flour and salt to a large mixing bowl. Make a hole in the centre.
- Add olive oil to the yeast liquid and pour into the hole in the flour.
- Mix until combined.
- Turn out onto a table and knead for 10 minutes, adding a little more lukewarm water if needed.
- Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover. Leave to rise for an hour.
- Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Leave to rise, covered, for a further 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place a pizza steel into the centre of your oven and preheat to the hottest setting, around 225℃/435℉.
- Roll out each dough ball to a 1/4 inch thickness on a piece of non-stick baking paper.
- Transfer the baking paper to the pizza steel and bake for 4-6 minutes, until the bread is golden and puffed. My oven takes 4 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve the bread warm or at room temperature with a little bowl of good quality olive oil and za’atar to dip.
Recipe Difficulty Levels
Easy
Requires basic cooking skills and ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen.
Moderate
Requires more experience, preparation and/or cooking time. You may have to source special ingredients.
Challenging
Recipes requiring more advanced skills and experience and maybe some special equipment.
Khobz – an Arabic Flatbread
Ingredients
- 300 ml lukewarm water plus extra if needed
- 7 grams fast-action dried yeast
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 600 grams strong white bread flour
- 1 tsp Shetland sea salt
- 2 tbsp olive oil
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Equipment
Instructions
- Add 7 grams fast-action dried yeast and 1/2 tsp sugar to 300 ml lukewarm water in a measuring jug and leave a few moments while you weigh out the remaining ingredients.
- Add 600 grams strong white bread flour and 1 tsp Shetland sea salt to a large mixing bowl. Make a hole in the centre.
- Add 2 tbsp olive oil to the yeast liquid and pour into the hole in the flour.
- Mix until combined.
- Turn out onto a table and knead for 10 minutes, adding a little more lukewarm water if needed.
- Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover. Leave to rise for an hour.
- Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls. Leave to rise, covered, for a further 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place a pizza steel into the centre of your oven and preheat to the hottest setting, around 225℃/435℉.
- Roll out each dough ball to a 1/4 inch thickness on a piece of non-stick baking paper.
- Transfer the baking paper to the pizza steel and bake for 4-6 minutes, until the bread is golden and puffed. My oven takes 4 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve the bread warm or at room temperature with a little bowl of good quality olive oil and za'atar to dip.
Fried Dates with Eggs
Thanks for the recipe.
I am desperate to make my own pittas given there is nothing decent in the shops that is as thin as yours and doesn’t contain a lot of oil. I don’t have a bread maker and do it by hand – it took me hours to clean the kitchen! – as it was my first time baking. There was flour everywhere!
My question has to do with the actual cooking means. You mention a hot oven. I have heard that you can buy something that is especially designed to cook pittas/flatbreads. It might do pizza bases as well. The device sort of looks like a wok with a cover and sits on top of the stove.
Any ideas?
Thanks for your help.
I’d never heard of these, though they look a bit like pitta breads which I love – I wonder if you could stuff anything inside? Thanks for sending these in to Alphabakes.