This is the traditional bread of every home in Algeria, hence it’s name which transaltes into English as ‘Bread of the House’. Every home has a different version & this particular recipe is from my lovely sister in law ‘Um Youcef’ 😉 Just a word of warning, if you have never made this kind of bread before, you will be shocked at how sticky & hard to work with the dough is. Unlike a regular bread, when your dough is too sticky you may add more flour – here adding more flour or semolina will make things worse…instead add a little water & knead gently with your fingertips . Water will always make the dough come together & away from your hands & the mixing bowl. You can also knead the dough in a KA or similar mixer with a sturdy dough hook.
There are many, many versions of Basboussa ( and many spelling variations!) throughout the Arab world. Some of these are a spongy cake-like texture & some are more of a grainy texture. This Algerian version is more of a cake-like texture – which happens to be my favourite. I absolutely love the addition of coconut in the recipe, it really adds something to the Basboussa. This recipe is extremely simple to make & is delicious served with coffee or tea. It is definitely a Ramadan staple in our home!
Posted for the Zaar World Tour to Africa. I have yet to make these but I there is sweet potato bread, pie, biscuits and cake…why not cookies?
I almost didn’t want to share this ribs recipe because this is one of the dishes that I make that keep my sons coming back home! These can be done with baby back or regular pork ribs. I have also made split chickens this way. The ribs are tender, moist and just slide off of the bone. I know that your family will love them just as much as my family does. I noticed that some are unable to find hickory smoked salt. You can use smoked paprika or just brush the ribs with liquid smoke before applying the rub. The smoke flavor is nice because it helps give the ribs a cooked-on-the-grill flavor. Also, the easiest way to remove the membrane is to work a spoon, or I use the tips of my kitchen shears, into the bottom center of the membrane, work it back and forth to form a “pocket,” then I slide my thumbs in and work the membrane off from the center outward to the ends.
These snickerdoodle cookies are so delicious, and they have the best texture. They are so fast to put together too! I actually got it from an old recipe that my Great Grandma had clipped out of a newspaper. Grandma always knows best!
