Challah is tremendously popular in the United States, among Jews and non-Jews alike. But it doesn’t say anywhere in Jewish scripture that challah is a braided, sweet, eggy, deliciously squishy bread of the kind familiar to most Americans; that loaf is Ashkenazi, from Eastern European Jews. The Sephardic and Mizrahi Jews from North Africa and the Middle East, have their own distinct traditional loaves. Here, use the raisins, eggs and full amount of honey to make a richer, festive Sephardic loaf that is delicious by itself; leave them out for a lean, savory Mizrahi bread that goes beautifully with Moroccan tagines and Middle Eastern mezes, salads and dips.

Featured in: A Twist On The Traditional Challah.