AuthorSteve Nubie
Lavash is an Armenian thin bread. In some ways it’s similar to Greek Pita Bread and Indian Na’an bread.
Lavash is believed to have originated in Armenia and the classic cooking method was on the sides of a hot, clay oven. The individual rounds of the Lavash dough were stuck to the sides of the clay oven for minutes until they were lightly browned and crisp. Common toppings for Lavash ranged from cheese to shredded and tender meat or a simple spread of butter or a jam. Sometimes fresh fruit was piled on top and the Lavash served as a plate you could eat.
It’s highly unlikely that you have a clay, tandoor oven in your home but your bread machine can make the dough part of the process very simple. After you’ve made the dough you cut and roll out the dough on a flowered surface and finish in the oven. The dough should be rolled out to about a quarter inch thick.
Instead of a clay tandoor a preheated, hot baking sheet will give you the same result. Do not oil or butter the sheet. Be careful too. This recipe calls for a temperature setting of 500 degrees Fahrenheit/260 degrees Celsius for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. That’s hot! so make sure you’re wearing a thick oven mitt anytime you open the oven door.
You’ll use the basic dough setting to mix and knead the dough in the bread machine and then go through the rising cycles indicated in the directions before you toll out the dough on a floured countertop.
Add the ingredients to the bread pan in the order indicated in the ingredient list and select the basic dough setting. Check the dough when the cycle is complete and if need be, run the dough setting again. You want a very elastic dough.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch down the dough and divide into pieces about the size of a golf 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. Also, be careful with heat at this temperature and rest assured it’s the proper temperature that is typically found in a tandoor oven.
Roll each ball into a circle about 5 inches across and about q quarter inch thick. If you roll the dough to thin you will get a crispy, cracker result. You can also top before baking with sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
Pull out the oven shelf and place as many Lavash on your baking sheet as you can fit. Close the oven and bake for about 3 minutes. Turn the Lavash and bake the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a spatula and let cool. You may have to adjust your thickness for the next batch.
Ingredients
Directions
Add the ingredients to the bread pan in the order indicated in the ingredient list and select the basic dough setting. Check the dough when the cycle is complete and if need be, run the dough setting again. You want a very elastic dough.
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Punch down the dough and divide into pieces about the size of a golf 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. Also, be careful with heat at this temperature and rest assured it’s the proper temperature that is typically found in a tandoor oven.
Roll each ball into a circle about 5 inches across and about q quarter inch thick. If you roll the dough to thin you will get a crispy, cracker result. You can also top before baking with sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
Pull out the oven shelf and place as many Lavash on your baking sheet as you can fit. Close the oven and bake for about 3 minutes. Turn the Lavash and bake the other side for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove with a spatula and let cool. You may have to adjust your thickness for the next batch.
