Yemenite Kubaneh

Yemenite Kubaneh

Kubaneh (in Hebrew “קובנה”) is a rich yeast bread baked in a covered pot. In different families it is smooth, pull-apart or rolled; here we make twisted kubaneh, rolls separated from one another by clarified butter. Unlike jachnun, the crumb is fluffy and soft rather than dense and layered.

Prep time: 45 minutes · Proofing: about 2 hours · Baking: 8 hours · Yield: 12 rolls · Difficulty: medium

Butter without excess water

Yemenite samneh is not exactly the same as commercial ghee, but clarified butter is the most accessible Israeli substitute. Regular butter works for a short bake, but in an overnight bake the milk solids may brown too fast.

Ingredients (for 12 rolls)

• 700 grams white flour
• 10 grams dry yeast
• 70 grams sugar
• 14 grams salt
• 430–460 ml lukewarm water
• 140 grams clarified butter or ghee, softened

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

Regular white flour gives a tender crumb; bread flour gives more chew. For a pareve (dairy-free) version you can use a good margarine, but that is an Israeli adaptation and the flavor is different. A 24 cm jachnun pot or a heavy ovenproof pot with a lid works.

Method

1. Knead. Knead the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and 430 ml of water for 10 minutes into a soft dough. Add water as needed.
2. First rise. Cover and let rise for 60–75 minutes, until almost doubled.
3. Shape. Divide into 12 pieces. With greased hands, open each piece into a rectangle, spread 10–11 grams of clarified butter (about 2 teaspoons), roll into one log and leave it whole. Save the rest of the butter for greasing the pot and the top.
4. Second rise. Arrange in a greased pot with a little space between them, cover and let rise for 35–45 minutes.
5. Bake. Bake for 30 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (355°F), lower to 100 degrees Celsius (210°F) and bake covered for 7–8 hours. Don’t leave plastic handles in the oven.
6. Cool and turn out. Cool for 15 minutes before turning out. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

The value includes all the butter that was spread. Grated tomato barely changes it; an egg adds about 75 calories.

Variations and tips

• For same-day baking: bake covered for 50 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius (355°F) and another 10 minutes uncovered.
• If the bottom is too dark, set the pot on a doubled baking sheet.
• Baked rolls can be frozen for up to a month and reheated covered.

Summary

Good kubaneh is a soft, fluffy, gently buttered bread, not a dense lump of dough. One roll is about 320 calories. For a quick pan-fried dough from the same world, see malawach.