Bread in Morocco is paramount. It's unthinkable not to have bread on the table. like not having cutlery to eat. To be honest, elders to children, everybody loves eating and making bread.
Bread culture is deeply embedded in Moroccans, we grew up eating it, children nowadays grow up eating it, and a day without it feels wrong. Bread is consumed daily in Morocco, some families cook it daily, and some buy, whatever it is, nothing stops Moroccans from consuming it. We even have a saying in Morocco “Looking for a piece of bread” which stands for going to work.
It’s best paired with butter, honey, home made cheese together with mint tea and it’s the ultimate dish. We usually eat bread at breakfast, at lunch, and even in dinner sometimes, and that’s how much we love it.
Every region has its own technique and way of making bread, people living the country side of Morocco cook it one way, and people living in the city cook it another way, but, whatever the technique, the outcome is very delicious.
So, in order to give you a glimpse of the different breads that we have in Morocco, I decided to write this blog post.
Round Bread or Khobz
This is one of the most common type of breads in Morocco and one of the most consumed one. It’s made out of flour, water, and yeast but it’s still very delicious. It’s very crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside.
Some make it plain, some add olives to it, some add seeds like poppy flower seeds or sunflower ones, since the recipe is very simple, you can customize it the way you like.
Batbout or Mkhamer
If the Khobz dough is crispy outside then this bread is the exact opposite. Batbout is soft, chewy, and delicious. Its component are the same as traditional Khoubz, but instead of being cooked in the oven, it’s cooked on a pan which gives it its very soft interior and exterior. It pairs perfectly with jam, or butter and honey.
Msemen or Rghayef
Some know them as Moroccan crepes, and some know them as Rghayef or Msemen, it’s a simple dough made with flour, oil, and sometimes even yeast. It can be quite complicated in terms of folding as there is the square shape, and the round shape (much more difficult). The dough is cooked on a pan with some oil and butter, and it’s the most perfect crispy and flaky outcome.
Krachel or Moroccan Brioche
These Moroccan Krachel are extremely delicious. They’re very similar to brioche, and they taste so good. Their dough is similar to Brioche, and they’re sprinkled with sesame seeds on top and have fennel seeds in the dough which gives a very complicated yet sweet taste. They’re my favourite as their texture is so soft and they pair perfectly with butter.
Even though I grew up in the UK, my love for Moroccan bread is intact and passed down to my daughter.
So, have you ever tasted Moroccan bread before?
