Persian Flatbread
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 4 cups bread flour, plus more for kneading
- Salt
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus more for greasing
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Semolina or cornmeal, for sprinkling
- 1 tablespoon nigella seeds (see Note)
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine 2 cups of lukewarm water with the yeast and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Add the 4 cups of bread flour and 2 teaspoons of salt and mix at medium speed until a loose dough forms.
- Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until the dough is supple and smooth, about 6 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1 minute.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a draft-free spot until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough and form into 2 ovals.
- Transfer the ovals to an oiled baking sheet, cover with a sheet of oiled plastic wrap and let rise for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the all-purpose flour with the sugar, 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil and 1/2 cup of water.
- Cook the flour paste over moderate heat, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Let the flour paste cool.
- Preheat the oven to 450 and set a pizza stone on the lowest rack.
- Let the stone heat for at least 30 minutes.
- Generously sprinkle a pizza peel with semolina.
- Punch down 1 piece of the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured work surface.
- Press the dough to a 14-by-5-inch rectangle, then transfer to the peel; shake the peel lightly to make sure the dough doesnt stick, adding more semolina if necessary.
- Using your fingers, press 5 deep lengthwise ridges into the dough.
- Rub about one-third of the flour paste over the surface and sprinkle with half of the nigella and sesame seeds.
- Slide the dough onto the hot stone and bake for about 18 minutes, until golden and risen.
- Repeat to make the second loaf (there will be some paste leftover).
- Serve warm.
active dry yeast, bread flour, salt, vegetable oil, flour, sugar, cornmeal, nigella seeds, sesame seeds
Taken from www.foodandwine.com/recipes/persian-flatbread (may not work)