Nan-e Barbari (Ridged Persian Sesame Bread)
Inspired by techniques from King Arthur Baking and Food Network Kitchen.
A long, ridged Persian flatbread with a glazed, deep golden crust and a soft, airy crumb, scattered with sesame seeds.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Mix and knead. Stir the flour, yeast, caster sugar and salt together, then add the water and oil and knead for 8-10 minutes until the dough is soft, slightly sticky and elastic. A well-developed dough here is what lets it stretch thin into a long oval later without tearing.
- 2
First rise. Cover the bowl and leave the dough somewhere warm for about 1 hour, until it looks nearly doubled in size. The yeast is building the gas bubbles that will give the baked bread its light, open crumb.
- 3
Shape and rest. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and fold the edges in towards the middle to form a smooth ball, then cover and rest for 20 minutes. This short rest relaxes the gluten, so the dough stretches easily into shape instead of springing back.
- 4
Make the glaze. Whisk the flour, bicarbonate of soda and water together in a small saucepan and simmer, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until it thickens to the consistency of thin custard, then leave to cool. Brushed over the dough before baking, this cooked glaze is what gives barbari its deep golden colour and crackly top.
- 5
Heat the oven. Put a baking tray or baking stone into the oven and heat it to 230°C (210°C fan) for at least 30 minutes. A thoroughly preheated surface gives the dough an immediate blast of heat from below, helping it puff quickly and crisp the base.
- 6
Stretch the dough. On a sheet of baking paper, stretch the rested dough into a long oval shape about 40 x 15cm and roughly 2cm thick. Working directly on the paper means the delicate, stretched dough can slide straight onto the hot tray without collapsing.
- 7
Glaze and groove. Brush the dough generously all over with the cooled glaze, then press your fingertips firmly down its length to make 5-6 deep parallel grooves, and scatter over the sesame seeds. These grooves help the thick dough cook through evenly and stop it ballooning unevenly in the oven.
- 8
Bake. Slide the bread, still on its paper, onto the hot tray and bake for 18-22 minutes, until it's deep golden brown, crisp on top, and sounds hollow when the base is tapped. A thermometer pushed into the centre should read about 96°C, confirming it's fully baked through.
- 9
Cool briefly. Let the bread cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before tearing or slicing. It's best eaten warm on the day it's baked, while the crust is still crisp and the crumb soft.
Storage
Store the cooled bread wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Refresh frozen or day-old bread for 5 minutes in a 180°C oven until warmed through. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large bowl or stand mixer with dough hook
- cling film
- small saucepan
- whisk
- large baking tray or baking stone
- baking paper
- pastry brush
- instant-read thermometer
- wire rack
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 261 kcal |
| Protein | 8.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 47.4 g |
| of which sugars | 0.7 g |
| of which free sugars | 0.5 g |
| Fat | 3.9 g |
| of which saturates | 0.5 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
| Salt | 1.2 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
3.1 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
