Wow Algerian Chakhchoukha Family Recipes

WOW - ALGERIAN CHAKHCHOUKHA - FAMILY RECIPE!

Steps:

• Method For the Khobz (bread):.
• Put the semolina and flour in a very large but shallow bowl - a gas'a if you have one is best. Make a well in the centre and add 1/2 a glass of water. Mix enough water to create a workable dough then begin kneading. Do this (until your hands hurt! ) until the dough becomes very smooth and elastic - you can put this dough in the bread maker on dough setting to make things easier if you like. Once the dough has reached elastic stage leave it to stand for 5 minutes.
• Take sunflower/vegetable oil etc and lightly coat work surfaces then pull off pieces of dough and form balls slightly larger than a golf ball.
• Gently stretch these balls over the m'ri or pan and cook (approx 30 seconds). Keep the cooked bread covered with cloth or towel so it doesn't dry up and finish cooking the rest.
• You can start tearing the bread straight away or leave it until you are finished if you are alone (I say this because it is best done with 2 people - one cooking one tearing!) Depending on your personal preference/which side of Algeria you come from, you'll decide whether to tear it into smaller or larger pieces --.
• Method for the Marga (sauce):.
• Finely chop the onion and garlic and place it in a large heavy bottomed pan with the meat or chicken and ras el hanout. Fry gently to seal the meat/chicken. I use my pressure cooker for this.
• Chop the carrot, parsnip & courgette into 6ths. Cut the potato into 1/4's and roughly chop the swede. (Peel the carrots, potatoes, parsnip & swede).
• Add the vegetables to the meat along with 1L of water and turn up heat so they begin simmering. If using the chilli add it now, along with salt & pepper. If cooking in a regular pan then cook for 40 minutes like this. If using the pressure cooker as I do then 20 minutes will be enough.
• Add the tomatoes, chick peas and dried mint and 1/2L more water or enough to create a 'stew' consistency.
• Return to heat and cook in pan for further 30 minutes and if using pressure cooker then cook on med to high for a further 25 minutes.
• Finally, place the Khobz in a a gas'a or very large dish (or individually if preferred) and pour over the Marga (sauce) arranging the meat so that everyone has a piece.

KHOBZ FTIR - ALGERIAN BREAD FOR USE WITH CHAKHCHOUKHA.

Steps:

• Put the semolina and flour in a very large but shallow bowl - a gas'a if you have one is best. Make a well in the centre and add 1/2 a glass of water. Mix enough water to create a workable dough then begin kneeding. Do this (until your hands hurt! ) until the dough becomes very smooth and elastic - you can put this dough in the bread maker on dough setting to make things easier if you like. Once the dough has reached elastic stage leave it to stand for 5 minutes
• Take sunflower/vegetable oil etc and lightly coat work surfaces then pull off pieces of dough and form balls slightly larger than a golf ball.
• Gently stretch these balls over the m'ri or pan and cook (approx 30 seconds). Keep the cooked bread covered with cloth or towel so it doesn't dry up and finish cooking the rest.
• You can start tearing the bread straight away or leave it until you are finished if you are alone (I say this because it is best done with 2 people - one cooking one tearing!) Depending on your personal preference/which side of Algeria you come from, you'll decide whether to tear it into smaller or larger pieces --
• I only make this when I can rope someone in to help. It is one of my favourite dishes (without the apricots though) and I like to get the kids involved tearing the bread if I can't get an adult in time!

TRADITIONAL ALGERIAN BAKLAWA / BAKLAVA - FAMILY RECIPE

Steps:

• Take 1 mixing bowl and place the flour & salt in it. Add the ghee/oil mixture & mix, slowly adding the water. Mix well -- until you have a smooth dough, place this on your work surface - well dusted with cornflour.
• Split the dough in half. Make the first 1/2 into golf ball sized pieces. Keep the dough covered with a tea towel --.
• Take a dough golf ball. If you are comfortable using the pasta machine then just make the ball into a sausage shape and gently roll out with rolling pin to approximately 3-4mm.
• Begin passing though pasta machine on thinnest setting. NB : if this is your 1st time you can use the pasta machine on the 2nd to thinnest setting before putting it through on the thinnest.
• In you saucepan, melt your ghee on a medium heat. Brush you tray well with ghee using the pastry brush.
• Lay you first strip of phyllo pastry vertically in the centre the tray. Brush the pastry with the ghee.
• Repeat the dough rolling process. Cover the tray with phyllo, remembering to brush with ghee after each strip. You should be able to do this with 5 strips but don't worry if you use more or less.
• Turn the tray round so that you're placing the phyllo strips horizontally over vertical strips. This criss cross is very important so don't forget --.
• Continue rolling your pastry and layering the tray. Remember the ghee after each strip. Continue doing this until you have done 5 layers.
• Prepare you nut filling. Take your food processor and chop up the nuts of your choice until you have the required amount.
• Prepare you nut filling. Take your food processor and chop up the nuts of your choice until you have the required amount.
• Place the nuts in the 2nd mixing bowl and add the sugar, cinnamon, vanilla powder and mazhar - enough mazhar to make the filling hold but not so much that it's sloppy.
• Place filling in the tray over the pastry, gently smoothing it out - but don't press it.
• You now need to repeat the dough rolling, layer making stage all over again until you have 6 layers. You will need to use the 2nd half of the dough by now - just make golf balls again! Don't forget the ghee.
• When you've finished the 5th layer you can choose how to do the top layer. I always roll out one large sheet by hand by other stick to the pasta machine as a large sheet of phyllo is a bit tricky to create and handle!
• If you want to try rolling out a sheet, remember to COVER the dough, rolling pin, surface, your hands etc in LOADS of cornflour. then roll out the the tray size plus 2cm extra.
• Now you need to cut the baklawa and decorate.
• Take you knife and cut vertical straight lines all the way to the bottom. (Approx. 2cm apart)then spin the tray round and cut more lines but diagonally to form diamond shapes. You can also make squares or triangles but traditional Algerian baklawa are diamonds.
• When you've cut the shapes, push a nut into each shape.
• Brush well with the ghee and place in a pre-heated oven at 180 c for 1 hour - 1 hour 10 minutes --.
• The baklawa should be golden and now needs it syrup: Warm the honey and mazhar in the saucepan then pour slowly over the baklawa.
• Allow to sit for 10 minutes then cut out pieces and place in paper cases - preferably the metallic ones as they hold the syrup better.