NAAN
MAKES TWELVE 6-INCH NAAN
In India, naan is a staple; the word translates simply to “bread.” Like lavash, naan is traditionally baked in a clay oven, which gives it a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior. With the slightly charred exterior only the Baking Steel can provide, it’s fantastic.
The Baking Steel Griddle allows you to attain restaurant-quality naan right on your stovetop. Make this naan and drizzle some olive oil on top for a simple snack that is second to none or serve it with cheese as an appetizer. There’s nothing better.
480 grams (4 cups) all-purpose flour
65 grams (½ cup) whole-wheat flour
16 grams (1 tablespoon) fine sea salt
4 grams (1 teaspoon) baking soda
8 grams (2 teaspoons) baking powder
12 grams (1 tablespoon) sugar
2 grams (½ teaspoon) active dry yeast
1 cup buttermilk, at or slightly above room temperature
245 grams (1 cup) plain full-fat or 2-percent-milk yogurt (do not use nonfat)
Melted butter (for brushing)
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and yeast.
2. In a separate medium bowl, combine the buttermilk and yogurt, stirring to incorporate. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined, then knead dough on a floured work surface with slightly wet hands (to discourage sticking) until the dough is smooth. Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl, cover with a damp, clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let rise for about an hour at room temperature or until it has doubled in size.
3. Position your Baking Steel or Baking Steel Griddle on the stovetop. Preheat on medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, looking for a surface temperature of about 350 to 375°F, or when a few drops of water sprinkled on the surface dance in the heat.
4. When the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Divide into 12 equal portions (about 60 grams each). Form each into a ball.
5. Roll each piece out into a thin oval approximately 6 inches long and 3 to 4 inches wide (each portion will be about 1/8 inch thick).
6. Brush each side of the naan dough with melted butter. Place the buttered dough onto your Baking Steel. Let cook for around 1 minute or until dough puffs and bubbles form on top. Check the undercarriage before flipping; it should look golden, with some darker spots. Flip and let the second side cook until it is crisped to your liking. Repeat with the remaining portions of dough. As you remove them from heat, stack them in a clean kitchen towel to keep them soft.
7. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
What’s the Difference Between Naan and Pita?
Plenty of people think that naan and pita are the same thing. Yes, they’re both flatbreads, and when you bake them, they both puff up. Oh, and they both taste great with hummus. But they’re not quite the same thing. The key differences? Acid and fat.
Naan is enriched with fat (milk, butter, or yogurt) and typically contains some sort of acid (yogurt or buttermilk). The fat makes the bread more tender; the reaction between the acid and the baking powder makes for a fluffy interior with a tender crumb.
Pita, however, is typically not enriched and depends on yeast alone for its rise. It does indeed rise, puffing dramatically like a balloon as it cooks and then flattening as it cools to give you that trademark pocket in the middle—but more about that when we get to the pita recipe.
