Thin Soft Lavash
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and King Arthur Baking.
Paper-thin, soft and pale flatbreads cooked for seconds on a very hot surface until blistered, then stacked under a towel to stay pliable.
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Method
- 1
Mix and knead. Whisk the flour and yeast together, then add the honey, olive oil, salt and warm water at about 30 °C and mix to a soft dough. Knead for 6-8 minutes until smooth and only a little sticky. The small amount of oil keeps the finished breads soft and easy to fold.
- 2
Rest the dough. Cover and leave for 45 minutes at room temperature. The dough will relax and puff a little rather than double, which is all it needs, since lavash wants tenderness rather than a big rise.
- 3
Divide and relax. Tip the dough out and divide it into 6 pieces of about 95 g. Shape into smooth rounds, cover loosely and rest for 20-30 minutes. Fully relaxed dough rolls out paper-thin without springing back.
- 4
Heat the surface. For the oven, place a baking steel or stone on a high shelf and heat the oven to its highest setting for at least 30 minutes; for the hob, heat a heavy griddle over high heat until very hot. Intense heat turns the water in the thin dough to steam instantly, puffing it before it can dry out.
- 5
Roll very thin. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece at a time into an oval about 25 × 18 cm, so thin you can almost see through it. Brush off any excess flour, which would otherwise scorch and taste bitter.
- 6
Cook in seconds. Cook each sheet for about 20-30 seconds a side on the very hot surface, or close under a hot grill (broiler) if using the steel or stone, until it puffs with small blisters and is only lightly spotted. Stop while it is still pale; longer cooking makes it crisp rather than soft.
- 7
Stack under a towel. Stack each lavash under a clean tea towel as it comes off the heat, then roll and cook the rest. The trapped steam keeps the whole stack soft and foldable.
Storage
Keep the stacked lavash wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 1 month. Warm briefly in a dry pan or wrapped in foil in a low oven to soften. 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
- rolling pin
- baking steel, stone or heavy griddle
- pastry brush
- clean tea towel
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 236 kcal |
| Protein | 7.3 g |
| Carbohydrate | 43.5 g |
| of which sugars | 1.1 g |
| of which free sugars | 1 g |
| Fat | 3.3 g |
| of which saturates | 0.5 g |
| Fibre | 1.6 g |
| Salt | 0.98 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
3.1 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
