Naan

(Afghan bread)

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:  

  • 1.5 kg of type 0 or 00 flour [Note: Can also use chapati flour]

  • 1/4 C vegetable oil (preferably rape seed/canola)

  • 500 g of water (tepid)

  • 15g yeast (preferably fresh, though dry ok) per 1kg of flour

  • 1 T salt

  • Sugar (pinch)

  • 1 T poppy seeds, sesame seeds, or nigella seeds (optional)

Preparation:

  1. Mix 1 kg flour w/ 1 T salt in a large mixing bowl. 

  2. Hill the flour and make a crater/well at the top. 

  3. Pour oil into the crater / well. 

  4. Dissolve yeast in 1 C (~250 g) of tepid water.

  5. Add water w/ yeast to flour and press / knead with hands.

  6. Continue to add splashes of remaining tepid water to flour while kneading with hand(s). 

  7. Add pinches of remaining flour as needed and work as fazzoletto (2 pushes down with the heel of your hand, and then 1 push up in an upward motion). [Note: dough ready when doesn’t stick to hands]

  8. Form dough into one large ball and throw it down onto a flat surface a few times to further activate/accelerate the yeast. 

  9. Add flour to the bottom of a mixing bowl and place the large ball into the bowl, lightly dusting the top with flour. 

  10. Cover with plastic wrap and towel (or plastic cover of a container if using) and let rest for 4+ hours (6-8 hours ideal).

  11. After the dough has rested and risen, uncover and pinch off 4 X 250-300 g dough balls, folding the edges of the dough underneath to round out properly. 

  12. Add flour to the bottom of the tray and rest the balls on the tray. Lightly dust tops of balls and cover again until ready to roll out for oven.

  13. Add flour to a flat surface (counter) when ready to roll out the naan for the oven. 

  14. Preheat oven to 260C / 500F. Line the baking tray with aluminum foil and place it in the oven so the tray and foil become very hot.

  15. Place the dough ball on a floured surface, lightly dust it with flour, and begin to press the ball down with your fingertips, slowly flattening it out. 

  16. Flour a rolling pin and roll out the dough from the middle of the ball outward. Repeat motion in the opposite direction, then to the sides, following the shape of the dough so that the naan starts to resemble an oval, pushing air to the edges of the dough.

  17. Continue until you stretch the dough into oval shapes, approximately 8” wide and 16” long (should be about 1 cm thick).

  18. Once the dough is stretched and shaped can wet your fingers and form four troughs down the length. Sprinkle the length of naan with seeds if using. 

  19. Remove the baking tray from the oven and place the naan onto hot foil, making sure not to burn your hands. 

  20. Place tray immediately back in the oven and cook naan for 8-12” until golden brown. 

  21. Naan will need to be fairly crisp on the outside and soften inside. 

  22. Repeat the process with the remaining dough balls. 

  23. Hot naan can be kept in a kitchen/tea towel or foil to keep warm and prevent drying.