RUSTIC BREAD WITH MOROCCAN SALAD

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When Kundra Bowley entertains, she gathers her friends around a decorative Moroccan table to eat slow-cooked tagine with home-baked bread. What else would you expect from the owner of the decor shop Moroccan Warehouse (021 461 8318)?

RUSTIC BREAD WITH MOROCCAN SALAD

INGREDIENTS

For the rustic bread:

  • 1½t dried yeast
  • 8T warm water
  • 2T runny honey
  • 400g wholemeal flour
  • 200g white bread flour
  • 1t fine sea salt
  • 350ml warm milk
  • 8T coarse semolina and extra white flour, for dusting

For the Moroccan salad: 

  • 1kg tomatoes, peeled, seeds removed and diced
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1T fresh parsley, finely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
  • 1T fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 1t ground cumin
  • ½t salt
  • 2T vinegar
  • 2T olive oil

METHOD

To make the rustic bread:
1. Place the dried yeast in a cup and add the water.
2. Let the yeast dissolve for a couple of minutes then add the honey and stir.
3. Place the two flours and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the yeast mixture and the warm milk a bit at a time. Use your hands in order to smooth out the lumps that appear.
4. When all the milk is added transfer the dough to a surface lightly floured with white flour and knead well for 2–3 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky, but soft, smooth and elastic.
5. Taste for salt, adding more if necessary.
6. Divide the dough into four pieces and roll into balls.
7. On a surface now dusted with semolina, roll each ball into a circle approximately 2cm thick. Place on an oiled baking tray and dust with more semolina.
8. Cover with a cloth and set aside for 2–4 hours. The bread is ready to bake when it has almost doubled in size.
9. Heat the oven to 220°C.
10. Sprinkle more semolina over the bread just before the tray goes into the oven. Bake for 20–25 minutes.
11. Remove and cool on a rack before serving with the salad.

To make the Moroccan salad: 
1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Serve garnished with fresh parsley.

Cook’s note: Moroccans break this bread into pieces and use it as a utensil to eat their salads, soups and tagines.

This recipe serves 4 – 6.