Moroccan Purim Bread Recipe - Boyosa (Boyoja, Ojos de Haman)

5 from 3 votes

Moroccan Purim Bread Recipe - Boyosa (Boyoja, Ojos de Haman)

Boyosa "Haman's Eye" Bread Recipe: A traditional Moroccan bread known as boyoja ungola di Purim or ojos de Haman. This is a round, flattish loaf decorated with two hard boiled eggs in their shells, which are meant to represent Haman’s eyes. Each egg is held down with two thin strips of dough arranged in an x, and, once the bread is baked, it’s a traditional to rip them out of the loaf—you know, like ripping Haman’s eyes out. The dough for this bread is traditionally studded with anise and sesame seeds, as well as coarsely chopped almonds

Prep Time1 30

Cook Time25

Total Time1 55

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Moroccan

Keyword: boyoja, boyosa, ojos de haman, pretzel, bread, snack, flour, purim

Servings: servings

Calories: 49kcal

Ingredients

Ingredients:

1 cup water warm
1 tablespoon yeast
3 cups white bread flour optional: 2-1/2 cups white bread flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rosemary fennel or anise seed

Instructions

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven at 325 degrees.
Dissolve the yeast in warm water.
Put the next four ingredients in a food processor or mixer, add the dissolved yeast, and blend the mixture until the dough no longer adheres to the sides of the bowl.
Remove the dough from the processor or blender and knead it until it is smooth. Let it rise covered for 30 minutes in a warm place.
Knead it down for a few minutes. After you remove the dough, let it raise for approximately 30 minutes.
Split the dough into two halves and roll out each half until it is the size of a pie pan.
With a pair of scissors cut vertical slits around the outside edge of the bread every 1/4 inch. Crimp 3 pieces of dough together. With a fork, prick the surface of the bread,
Then press 2 eggs (pre-soaked in lukewarm water or pre-cooked) into each round loaf (where eyes would be positioned on a face).
Hold the egg in place by crisscrossing 2 thin strips of rolled dough over it, then circle the crisscrossed egg with another thin roll of dough.
Let rise for an additional 30 minutes.
Bake in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes, rotate the bread and bake an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Notes

*The challah is the egg-size morsel you remove from the dough in remembrance of the Temple days meal offering. It is to be burnt or baked and not eaten. You may dispose of it in the sink disposer that should be first cleared of refuse as the challah is a consecrated offering to God.

Nutrition