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Lavash
Armenian Flat Bread
Lavash
Lavash has been baked for centuries in Armenia. The raw, flat rounds of dough are traditionally slapped on to the sides of a hot cylindrical oven or tonir, where they bake in less than 5 minutes, but nowadays the bread is more often baked in large, modern ovens. Lavash is an excellent crisp bread to serve with cheese or soup.
Ingredients
Makes 8 pieces of bread.
4 oz (120 g) strong plain flour
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 oz (120 g) wholemeal flour
¼ pint (150 ml) milk
2 teaspoons salt
Sesame seeds or poppy seeds
Method
Mix the flours and the salt together in a bowl. Drizzle the oil over the flour, and with the palms of your hands, rub the oil into the flour until it is well incorporated. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk. Mix with your hands to form a dough.
Turn the dough out on to a floured board and knead it for 5 to 10 minutes, until smooth and pliable. Cover the dough with an overturned bowl and leave to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. (It may be refrigerated at this point, if necessary.)
Cut the dough into 8 pieces. Taking one piece at a time, knead the dough and press it into a round on a floured board. With a rolling pin, roll out the round until the dough is 8 in (20 cm) in diameter. Sprinkle it generously with sesame or poppy seeds, then roll it out once more with the rolling pin (it will have contracted a little), pressing the seeds firmly into the dough.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. As the rounds are finished, place them on large baking trays. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Do not overbake. Cool on racks before serving.
Variation:- Lavash may also be used as a soft sandwich bread to wrap around meat or cheese: Moisten the rounds of baked bread on both sides under cold running water, until they are moist but not soggy. Wrap them in a damp towel and leave to stand until soft, about 45 minutes.
Note:- Unbaked rounds of lavash may be frozen between sheets of greaseproof paper. As needed, unwrap and bake as directed.
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