Caucasian Thin Bread Lavash Recipes

LAVASH FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
• In a smaller bowl, beat together the water, egg, and 2 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil until well mixed.
• Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with flour and mix well. Knead with your hands until the dough comes together, but don't overdo it as the end result will be tough. If too wet, add a teaspoon of flour at a time until the dough comes together.
• Preheat the oven to 400 F. Split the dough into 2 balls. Let the balls of dough rest, covered, for at least as long as it takes for the oven to heat, or ideally for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Lightly grease 2 un-rimmed cookie sheets with some of the remaining olive oil. Place the cookie sheets on a flat surface with a towel underneath so they don't slip. Place one ball of dough on each cookie sheet and roll the dough out as thin as possible, the thinner the dough, the crispier the flatbread.
• Brush each flatbread with the remaining olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt if desired.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the flatbread is lightly browned and crispy.
• Remove from oven and serve immediately.
• Enjoy.

LAVASH ARMENIAN THIN BREAD

Steps:

• Place the tepid water in your electric mixing bowl and add the olive oil, sugar, and yeast. Using the batter blade let the electric mixer blend these very well.
• It will take about 5 minutes on low speed.
• Stir in the salt. Gradually add 2 cups of the flour and beat on low speed until a thick and smooth batter forms.
• Change the blade to a bread dough hook and knead in the additional 2 cups of flour.
• If you do not have a heavy mixer such as a KitchenAid, incorporate the flour with a wooden spoon and finish the kneading by hand.
• Kneading should take about 10 minutes in the machine, 20 minutes by hand.
• Place the dough on a plastic countertop and cover with a large stainless-steel bowl.
• Allow the dough to rise until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch the dough down and divide into 8 pieces.
• Let stand, covered, 15 minutes.
• Roll out each piece of dough into a 12-inch-diameter circle. Working with 2 pieces of dough at a time, arrange breads on ungreased baking sheets.
• Brush with milk and sprinkle sesame seeds over tops.
• Pierce with a fork many times, all over.
• Bake on the lowest racks in the oven, at 375F, for 8-10 minutes, or until light brown.
• Rotate the pans in the oven from top to bottom, to insure even browning.
• Serve dry or wet. (To wet, hold the cracker under running water until lightly moistened all over, and then wrap in a moist towel for 10-15 minutes.) If the cracker is too dry to roll, it will crack.
• Sprinkle with a little more water and let stand a few minutes.
• If it is too wet, cover with a dry towel and let it stand.

LAVASH CRACKER BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the water, whole wheat flour, and yeast until moistened. Mix in the salt and 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Gradually mix in the rest of the flour using a mixer with a dough hook attachment or wooden spoon.
• When the dough comes together, knead in your mixer or on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes to make an elastic ball. Add more flour or water if needed to keep dough from getting sticky or too stiff. Pour a little bit of oil in the bowl and turn the dough to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and divide into 30 pieces about the size of small walnuts. Rolling the dough into a long log helps to divide it evenly. Roll each piece into a ball and cover with a damp kitchen towel for 30 minutes to rest.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Place a baking sheet on the center rack of the oven so it can preheat at the same time. Do not grease.
• Roll each ball into a circle about 8 inches across. The dough should be paper thin, almost translucent. If they are too thick, they will bubble up like pita breads.
• Pull out the oven shelf and place as many crackers on your baking sheet as you can fit, 2 or 3. Close the oven and bake for about 3 minutes. The crackers should be lightly browned on the top with small bubbles. You may have to adjust your thickness for the next batch.

LAVASH

Steps:

• To make the old dough, using your hands or a rubber spatula, squish together the flour, water, and yeast in a bowl until it forms a thick paste. Scrape the paste into a small, lightly oiled container, cover, and let it sit out for 1½ to 2 hours, or refrigerate overnight and bring to room temperature for at least 2 hours before using. When ready, the ball will have doubled in volume.
• To make the dough in a stand mixer:
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the old dough, water, oil, and salt. Squish the old dough with your hands to break it up in the water; it doesn't have to be perfectly mixed in.
• Fit the stand mixer with the paddle attachment and add a third of the flour. Mix on low speed until the dough looks like pancake batter. Add the remaining flour and mix on low speed until incorporated. Remove the paddle attachment, pulling off any dough stuck to it. If there is flour at the base of the bowl, use your hands to press the dough into the flour. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough sit for 20 minutes to allow the flour to hydrate.
• Remove the towel and attach the dough hook to the stand mixer. Mix the dough on medium speed until the dough releases from the sides of the bowl without sticking and feels smooth to the touch, about 4 minutes. Turn the mixer off and reposition the dough to the center of the bowl if it seems to get stuck on one side of the bowl.
• To make the dough by hand:
• Combine the old dough, water, oil, and salt in a large bowl and mix together, squishing the old dough into the water with your hands. Stir in the flour gradually with your fingers until a crumbly dough forms, then knead it a few times in the bowl by folding the dough over itself and pressing it down into the bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rest for 20 minutes.
• Dust the counter lightly with flour and place the dough on top. Begin kneading by stretching and folding the dough over itself until it is smooth to the touch, 5 to 7 minutes.
• To finish and shape the dough:
• Lightly oil an 8 cup [2 L] glass Pyrex or a large glass bowl and place the dough inside. Cover the bowl with a lid, a plate, or plastic wrap, and let it rest for 3 hours or until doubled in volume. Or refrigerate overnight and let the dough come to room temperature for at least 2 hours before portioning.
• To portion and shape the dough, dust the counter lightly with flour and place the dough on top. Using a bench scraper or knife, cut the dough into eight pieces about 3.5 oz [100 g] each.
• To shape the dough, cup the palm of your hand over one portion at a time and move your hand in a circle. The friction from the counter will help form the dough into a ball. If there is too much flour on the surface and the dough is sliding around, give the counter a spritz of water and try again. Lightly oil a rimmed tray and place the dough on the tray, ensuring that the portions are not touching. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap lightly coated with oil. Leave out for 1 to 1½ hours, or until puffy, or refrigerate for up to 3 days. If you refrigerate the dough, use plastic wrap to cover it and expect it to take an hour or two to return to room temperature before it is ready to be rolled out.
• Dust the counter lightly with flour. Pat a portion of dough into an oval with your fingertips. Using a rolling pin and moving back and forth, roll the dough as thinly as possible into an oval about 13 by 9 in [33 by 23 cm]. If the dough resists stretching, let it relax and start working on another portion before returning to it. You can also gently stretch the dough with your hands to correct the shape. It doesn't have to look perfect.
• To griddle lavash on overturned wok:
• Place a carbon-steel wok upside down over a burner. Have a pair of tongs handy.
• Heat the wok over high heat for 1 minute or until a sprinkle of water instantly evaporates.
• Drape the dough over the wok. Cook for 1 minute or until you can lift it easily from the wok with tongs and it has puffed slightly and blistered. Turn the dough over to briefly cook the other side, no more than 30 seconds. For extra browning, flip it over for another 30 seconds.
• Transfer the lavash to a half-sheet pan and cover with a dry kitchen towel while you cook the rest of the dough. In between batches, turn off the burner. The wok heats up quickly, and it will get too hot if the burner is left on.
• To griddle lavash on cast-iron griddle:
• Place a 20 in [50 cm] cast-iron griddle over two burners. Heat the griddle over medium-high heat for a few minutes or until a sprinkle of water instantly evaporates.
• Drape the dough over the griddle. Cook for 1 minute or until you can lift the dough easily with tongs and it has puffed slightly and blistered. Turn the dough over to briefly cook the other side, no more than 30 seconds. For extra browning, flip it over for 30 more seconds.
• Transfer the lavash to a half-sheet pan and cover with a dry kitchen towel while you cook the rest of the dough. In between batches, keep the griddle turned on, but monitor its heat so it doesn't get too hot.
• To grill lavash:
• Have tongs, a pastry brush, a small bowl of vegetable oil, and 2 half-sheet pans ready. Coat one of the pans lightly with oil.
• Heat a gas grill over medium-high heat or prepare a charcoal grill for direct-heat cooking. Ensure that the grill grates are clean. The grill should be hot enough that you can only hold your hand over the grates for 3 to 5 seconds. Place a sheet of dough onto the oiled pan and brush oil on top. Drape the oiled dough over the grill. Cover the grill and cook for 25 seconds. Uncover the grill. Using tongs, turn the lavash over and let it cook for another 25 seconds, uncovered, or until evenly blistered and puffed in parts.
• Transfer to the clean half-sheet pan and cover with a dry kitchen towel while you cook the rest of the dough.
• Eat the lavash soon after making it or store it in plastic bags to keep the bread pliable. It's okay if it dries out and turns brittle; just rehydrate it by misting the lavash with water and covering it with a towel to let it soften. Soon after, it should be pliable enough to roll up without cracking. If it's still cracking, mist with more water.

LAVASH

Steps:

• In small bowl, stir together yeast, water and sugar.
• Let sit about 10 minutes to proof.
• Add oil.
• Combine flour and salt in food processor.
• With motor running, add yeast mixture through feed tube and process for 20 seconds.
• Stop to scrape down bowl with rubber spatula, then continue processing to form stiff ball.
• Turn dough out onto work surface and knead for a few minutes until dough is smooth.
• Place dough in oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in draft-free place until doubled in volume, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine sesame and poppy seeds in small bowl.
• Turn dough out onto work surface, flatten into rectangle and divide into 16 roughly equal pieces.
• Cover pieces you are not working with plastic wrap.
• On unfloured surface, roll each piece as thin as possible.
• Lift it up.
• Flip it over.
• And roll again until paper thin.
• You should have rectangle about 8 by 3 inches.
• Peel dough off work top and place on ungreased baking sheet.
• Prick holes in dough with fork.
• Brush lightly with water and sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon seeds.
• Repeat with remaining pieces of dough and fit as many pieces as possible on baking sheet without touching.
• Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes, and cool completely on wire racks.
• Repeat until all dough is baked.

CAUCASIAN THIN BREAD (LAVASH)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt.
• Add 3 ¼ cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well with each addition with a wooden spoon.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding enough of the remaining flour to prevent sticking. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with the melted butter and turn to coat with the butter. Cover with a cotton cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Punch the dough down and divide into six pieces. Shape each into a ball and flatten into 1 inch thick rounds. Cover with a cloth and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a large, heavy-duty baking sheet in the oven to heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
• On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out one of the pieces of dough into a 12 X 10 inch rectangle. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Drape the rolled-out dough over the rolling pin and unroll it onto the baking sheet. Bake in the lower third of the oven until the bread is slightly bubbly and browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet to the work surface, sprinkle with cold water, and cover with a cloth. Repeat with the rest of the dough. When all the breads are baked, wrap in aluminum foil and let stand for 30 minutes.
• If you like crispy breads, don't sprinkle with water or wrap in foil. Let the breads cool on a wire rack.