Naan Bread
Let’s be honest, those pillowy little flatbreads we get on the side of our meals at Indian restaurants are our favorite. Once we had children, I realized that they would eat pretty much anything if served with this delicious bread on the side slathered in butter and salt. I know it seems like a big commitment, but they are so simple to mix up in the afternoon and the rolling, cooking, flipping process is actually quite fun if you have some little helpers in the kitchen. I’m not saying you will always make homemade naan bread for now and evermore, but every so often. It’s worth it!
Ingredients:
2 cups of flour (plus a little extra for rolling)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup warm water
melted butter for brushing on top after cooking
Directions:
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In a smaller bowl, whisk the yogurt, olive oil, and warm water together. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix well. When the dough is forming and stuck together, use your hands to knead the dough inside the bowl to bring it fully together without any dry bits remaining. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside in a warm place. It should double in about 1 to 2 hours. When it’s doubled, flour a work surface and fill a bowl with about 1/2 cup flour to keep nearby while you’re working. Tip the dough onto the floured surface. Cut the dough into 6 roughly even portions and roll them into a ball. Then gently roll the dough balls in the bowl of flour and set aside. Heat a large cast iron or other large skillet over medium heat. Use a rolling pin (or bottle ;) to roll a ball into an oval or a rustic circle. It will be about 1/8 inch thick. Pick it up and gently shake the excess flour off. Place it in the heated pan. You’ll start to see bubbles rise on the surface! It’s exciting, right?! Flip it over when it’s nice and browned on the bottom side and cook for about 1-2 minutes on the other side. Remove from the pan and brush a bit of butter over top. Place on a plate with a towel over top until ready to serve.
