Lavash
By Cat, Jan 2008 (PHoto, right, from Wikimedia Commons
Includes:
See also: 1. Lefse – Potato Flatbread from Scandinavia; 2. Breads & Rolls Menu; 3. Flatbreads: Note on Ingredients & Equipment; 4. Wheat (about) (includes white, whole and semolina flour); Other sites: 5. Lavosh (Armenian Cracker Bread (3)); 6. Lavosh (4)
Back in the 1980s, a small fresh-food market opened on my Portland block, and they made these wonderful sandwiches with a crispy, delicious flatbread they called Armenian Lavosh or cracker bread. It reminded me of lefse, if it were allowed to dry.
So I was excited when I saw this recipe for Turkish Flatbread in my local Montana newspaper, the Daily Inter Lake on Jan 2, 2008 (originally from AP).
Lavash (or Lavosh): Armenian or Turkish Cracker Bread or Flatbread
Lavash (or Lavosh) is very like Lefse, except it doesn’t include mashed potatoes, and also very like Lavosh from Armenia (see links above). This bread doesn’t use leavening, other than salt.
Makes about 10 breads. Unless they are eaten right away, while still warm, they are allowed to dry and must be refreshed before eating. (Not sure how to refresh). Dried, it can be stored for a very long time.
I’ve not yet tested this recipe.
Refer to Wheat (about) for more about the different flours mentioned here.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- ⅓ cup plus 2 tsp warmed filtered water
- ⅓ cup unbleached white flour, plus extra for kneading and shaping
- ⅓ cup bread (high-gluten) flour *
- 3 Tbsp whole wheat flour *
- ½ tsp Unrefined sea salt (or Kosher Salt)
* Or, instead of the bread and whole wheat flour combo, start with ⅓ cup whole hard red or white wheat flour (hard wheat is a high-gluten flour), then add more, as needed.
Equipment
- large bowl
- griddle or large cast iron pan
- rolling pin and wood rolling surface
- pastry cloth and rolling pin sock (optional)
- clean cotton kitchen towels or Lefse cozy
Method
- Warm filtered water over a pilot light or low heat.
- Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in the center. Gradually add ⅓ cup plus 2 tsp warm water and knead in the bowl until you have a rough ball of dough.
- Lay out and lightly flour a pastry cloth or a wood kitchen board.
- Transfer dough to the prepared work surface; knead by hand about 3 minutes. Cover dough with inverted bowl and let rest for 15 minutes. Remove bowl & knead dough for another 2 – 3 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Divide dough into 10 equal pieces and shape each into a small ball, rolling the dough between your palms.
- Sprinkle rolling surface with a bit more flour and place the balls of dough on the floured surface. Cover with a wet but not dripping kitchen towel, and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Cover rolling pin with pastry sock (or leave naked) and lightly flour the surface. Roll out each ball of dough, sprinkling with more flour every now and then, to a circle 7 – 8 inches in diameter. Place the circles of dough between dry kitchen towels.
- Heat griddle or large cast iron pan over medium heat. When very hot, cook each bread, one at a time, for about 1 minute on each side, or until they are lightly golden and small lightly browned spots have bubbled up.
- As they cook, stack them between clean kitchen towels.
Assembly or Serving Suggestions
- Use immediately, or let harden and then stack in a dry place where they will keep for weeks.
- To refresh: sprinkle each bread with a little water, fold in half, and wrap in a clean kitchen towel. Let rest for 30 minutes, or until the bread becomes soft and pliable.
Sources:
- The Cooks Thesaurus on Flatbread (foodsubs.com/Flatbread.html)
- Daily InterLake, January 2, 2008 (originally from AP)
- Kitchen Parade, Lavosh (Armenian Cracker Bread) (kitchenparade.com/2003/02/lavosh-armenian-cracker-bread.php)
- All Recipes, Lavosh (allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lavosh/Detail.aspx)
