Naan may be the paradigm of yeasted flatbreads. Fresh from a tandoor oven and served with curries and roasted meat, this Indian bread is a delicacy. The yogurt and ghee in this version ensure that the dough is tart and toothsome. Eat naan hot out of the oven if you can.
Makes 12 (3 × 6-inch/7.5 × 15 cm) pieces; serves 12
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup/118 g water
- 5 cups minus 2 tablespoons/620 g bread flour, plus more for shaping
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more for serving
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup/180 g whole milk
- ¾ cup/180 g plain full-fat yogurt
- 7 tablespoon melted ghee, melted unsalted butter, or canola oil, plus more as needed
Directions
1. Stir together the yeast and water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the bread flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, milk, yogurt, and ghee to the bowl. Mix on low speed until all of the ingredients are combined, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until the dough is smooth and leaves the sides of the bowl clean, about 5 minutes.
2. Coat the inside of a large bowl with some ghee or butter and transfer the dough to it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or put the whole bowl into a large plastic bag and let the dough rise at room temperature until it is softer than a firm balloon, is supple, and holds an indentation when pressed lightly, about 2 hours.
3. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces (each weighing about 3 ounces/100 g). Roll each piece into a ball between the palms of your hands. Cover the dough balls with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until they’re softer than firm balloons and hold indentations when pressed lightly, about 1 hour.
4. Put a pizza stone on the lowest rack of the oven and preheat to 500°F/260°C. Let the stone heat up for at least 30 minutes. (If you don’t have a pizza stone, you can use a sheet pan dusted with flour.)
5. Working with one naan at a time (keep the rest covered with plastic), gently stretch and lightly press each piece of dough into an oblong shape, measuring about 3 × 6 inches/7.5 × 15 cm.
6. Using the back of a rimmed baking sheet, transfer the naan to the hot pizza stone, fitting as many as you can in a single layer. Bake until the edges are dry and the underside is browned, about 2 minutes. Use a large spatula to flip the naan, and bake until the underside is browned, another 2 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining pieces of dough. Keep the baked ones warm in a towel-lined basket while you bake the rest.
7. Serve the naan warm, spread with ghee and sprinkled with salt, if desired. Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight plastic bag at room temperature. Reheat on both sides in a skillet over medium heat or in a 400°F/205°C oven.
Excerpt from The Hot Bread Kitchen Cookbook, available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound and wherever books are sold.
