It’s been relatively quiet on the bread front around here lately. Not that I haven’t made any but just that I’ve been cycling through a bunch of our tried and true favorites, so I’m especially excited to share a new version with you today—this addictively chewy and golden Nan-e Barbari, aka Persian Flatbread.

It is absolutely wonderful and while it does require a couple of rises, the beauty part is that bakes up in just about 5 minutes!

And you don’t have to wait until it cools to tear it apart and dig in! Perfect for when patience is lacking!!

Ok, so let’s get started—Once you’ve mixed up the dough and let it rise for the first time, you punch it down and divide into four pieces (or 2 if you want really huge breads—I just find it easier to work with the smaller sizes)

Then roll it out and let rise again.

Meanwhile you place a pizza stone or upside-down baking sheet into the oven and let it get insanely hot! That’s the key to baking up crisp but chewy loaves!

Now you brush the dough with oil

And use your fingers to make little dimples all over to catch all that lovely oil.

Finally, you top the whole shebang with flaky sea salt or sesame seeds or whatever strikes your fancy and bake!

Minutes later you’re rewarded with the freshness of hot baked bread—sort of like a cross between focaccia and flatbread.

Wonderful on its own

Or topped with this Israeli chopped salad

Or hummus

Or anything you can dream up! Happy baking!!

Nan-e Barbari (Persian Flatbread)

Makes 4 small or 2 large flatbreads

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Rising Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes; Bake Time: 5-7 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

• ¼ cup sugar

• 2 ¼ cups warm water

• 5 cups bread flour, plus extra for rolling out

• 2 tablespoons canola or grapeseed oil

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• Scant ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Flaky sea salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds for topping (optional)

The Recipe

1. If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, now’s the time to use it. Otherwise you’ve got to do some kneading by hand. Place the yeast and sugar in the large bowl of the mixer and whisk together well. Whisk in the water and let sit for about 5 minutes, until the mixture looks a little bubbly. Attach the dough hook. Add the flour and oil and mix for 5 minutes. Add in the kosher salt and mix for another 5 minutes. The dough will look a little shaggy but this is ok. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour, until doubled in size. (If you don’t have a mixer you can mix the dough by hand—the process will just take longer).

2. While the dough is rising, line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and dust them both with a little flour. Set aside.

3. Once the dough has risen place one of the oven racks in the lowest position and preheat to 500ºF. Place a pizza stone or an upside down baking sheet on the rack and let it get crazy hot.

4. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a floured board or clean surface. If the dough seems too sticky to work with, add a little more flour and flour your hands as you work the flour into the dough. Divide it into 2 or 4 equalish pieces and use a floured rolling pin to roll the pieces into ¼-½-inch oblong rectangles and use a bench scraper or spatula to help transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly apart if using 4 pieces. Cover each sheet with a slightly damp towel and let rise again for 30 minutes.

5. Brush the dough with the oil all over and then use the tips of your fingers to make lengthwise indentations all down and across the length of the dough. Sprinkle with the sea salt and any other toppings you want to use.

6. Bring the trays near the oven. Carefully lift the parchment with the dough onto the preheated baking sheet or pizza stone (it’s hot). Let cook for 5 minutes, then check. If bread is golden all over, remove it from the oven. Otherwise cook for another minute or two, checking often so that it doesn’t burn. Let bread cool on a wire rack and bake the second batch.

7. This is best eaten on the day it is baked but also pretty wonderful reheated for a few minutes. Store leftovers well wrapped in the fridge for a few days.

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from Eating Out Loud by Erin Grinshpan. The original recipe calls for 4 1/2 cups of flour but every time I’ve made it that way, I’ve had to add at least 1/2 cup more because it was too sticky to work with. I increased the flour to 5 cups, but you might even need more—use your judgement. I also swapped in canola for the grapeseed oil because that’s what I more regularly have on hand.