Moroccan round bread with anise (Khobz)

1. In a large bowl mix the flour, most of the semolina, the salt, sugar and aniseed; dissolve the yeast in some of the lukewarm water.

2. Add the yeast water, the rest of the water and the olive oil to the flour mixture and knead for 10 minutes until you have a smooth, elastic dough.

3. Divide the dough in two, shape into balls and press into flat discs 2-3 cm thick on a baking tray sprinkled with the remaining semolina.

4. Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until nicely risen.

5. Prick the sides with a fork in a few places and bake in a 220 °C oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and the base sounds hollow when tapped.

6. Cool on a rack and serve cut into wedges with tagine or salads.

Tip: Khobz accompanies every Moroccan meal: instead of cutlery, people use it to scoop up the tagine sauce. Families used to take their loaves to the shared neighbourhood oven to be baked. If you don't have aniseed, it's just as good with sesame seeds or plain.