Khobz (Yemeni Flatbread)

Last Updated on May 30, 2015 by Chef Mireille

When perusing Queen of Sheba’s site, this bread is the one that looks most similar to the ones I eat at Yemen Cafe here in Brooklyn. To complement this delicious bread, don’t forget to look at my Yemeni recipes for Foul & Zahawiq (Schug).

Yield: 4 breads
Ingredients:

• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons instant dry yeast
• 1 1/2 cups very warm water (120 F)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons oil + more for brushing

Combine flours, salt, and yeast in a large bowl.
Add water and oil and mix until dough comes together. Knead by hand for 5 minutes until you have a very soft dough. (You may need to add another 1-2 tablespoons of flour if the dough becomes too sticky.)
Place in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Divide into four and form into 4 smooth round balls. Place the balls on a flat plate or in a shallow bowl. Brush the tops with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Leave it to rest for 2 hours.

Preheat a pizza stone in the oven at 500 F 30 minutes before starting to stretch the dough.
Working with one ball at a time, stretch the dough by hand as thin as possible or as large as your pizza peel is. Do this by stretching the dough over your fist. See video instructions below.

Bake for 4-5 minutes.

Notes:
Next time, I would reduce salt by 1/2 teaspoon.
Next time, I would also cook it in the broiler part of the oven to get more color on it.
It is difficult to stretch the dough by hand if it is your first time like it was mine. After you stretch it a little, if it starts to break, place on the pizza peel and using your fingertips stretch the dough outwards. Make sure you have enough cornmeal on the board so it does not stick when you slide onto the pizza stone.

This soft bread is perfect for dunking intoYemeni Foul (Fava Bean Stew).