How to Make Perfect Crusty Moroccan White Bread

Gather the ingredients. The Spruce / Cara Cormack Prepare two baking sheets by lightly oiling them or by dusting the pans with a little cornmeal or semolina. The Spruce / Cara Cormack Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Make a large well in the center of the flour mixture and add the yeast. The Spruce / Cara Cormack Add the oil and the water to the well, stirring with your fingers to dissolve the yeast first, and then stirring the entire contents of the bowl to incorporate the water into the flour. The Spruce / Cara Cormack Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and begin kneading the dough, or use a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. If necessary, add flour or water in very small amounts to make the dough soft and pliable, but not sticky. Continue kneading for 10 minutes by hand (or 5 minutes by machine), or until the dough is very smooth and elastic. The Spruce / Cara Cormack Divide the dough in half and shape each portion into a smooth circular mound. (If you prefer, you can divide the dough into four to six smaller loaves instead.) Place the dough onto the prepared pans, cover with a towel and allow it to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. The Spruce / Cara Cormack After the dough has rested, use the palm of your hand to flatten the dough into circles about 1/4-inch thick. Cover with a towel and let rise about 1 hour (longer in a cold room), or until the dough springs back when pressed lightly with a finger. The Spruce / Cara Cormack Pre-heat oven to 435 F/225 C. Create steam vents by scoring the top of the bread with a very sharp knife or by poking the dough with a fork in several places. The Spruce / Cara Cormack Bake the bread for about 20 minutes—rotating the pans about halfway through the baking pans—or until the loaves are nicely colored and sound hollow when tapped. Transfer the bread to a rack or towel-lined basket to cool. The Spruce / Cara Cormack