My husband recently grilled these for dinner.
Fresh.
Homemade.
Warm.
Campfire-scented.
A perfect accompaniment to steaks and hobo packs.
Just like back in the Old Country!
Not really. Although my six-year-old did ask me if this was the case:
“Mommy, did you have stoves in the Old Country or did you cook everything over fire?”
It is amazing how little they actually know about my old life, which, to them, is purely anecdotal.
This recipe is adapted from Planet Barbecue!, a terrific book full of grilling ideas from around the world (including a section on my native Azerbaijan, a grilling paradize).
Grilled “Naan” Flatbreads
Adapted from Planet Barbecue! by Steven Raichlen
Makes 12 small flatbreads:
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 1/2 cups warm water
- 4 1/2 cups white flour
- 2 teaspoons sea or kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1. Mix the yeast and the sugar with 1/4 cup of the warm water and let stand until foamy, approximately ten minutes.
2. Pour the yeast mixture, 2 cups of the flour, and the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl and beat until smooth (if using a Kitchen Aid mixer, beat everything together with a paddle attachment).
3. Gradually add the rest of the flour until the dough is too stiff to mix by hand (if kneading with a mixer, switch to the hook attachment before adding the rest of the flour and knead until the dough just clears the sides of the bowl).
4. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold it on itself a few times, sprinkling with more flour to prevent it from sticking, until it is smooth and elastic (if you’ve never kneaded dough before, follow these step-by-step photo instructions).
5. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl with saran, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
6. When the dough is risen, transfer it onto a floured surface and punch it down to allow the accumulated gas to escape.
7. Divide the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, place the balls a few inches apart on a floured surface, cover once again with plastic, and allow to rise for another 30 minutes.
8. Preheat the grill to medium-high.
9. While the grill is preheating, roll each ball into a disk of approximately 6″ in diameter. Stretch each disk gently with hands to give it an oblong shape. To facilitate carrying the breads to the grill, place them onto a platter in stacks with wax paper in between to keep them from sticking to each other.
10. When the grill is hot, oil the grill grate and grill the breads in batches without crowding until slightly puffed and light golden (see the bread at right in the photo above), 2-4 minutes per side.
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