Best Lavash Bread Recipes

LAVASH CRACKER BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the water, whole wheat flour, and yeast until moistened. Mix in the salt and 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Gradually mix in the rest of the flour using a mixer with a dough hook attachment or wooden spoon.
• When the dough comes together, knead in your mixer or on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes to make an elastic ball. Add more flour or water if needed to keep dough from getting sticky or too stiff. Pour a little bit of oil in the bowl and turn the dough to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough and divide into 30 pieces about the size of small walnuts. Rolling the dough into a long log helps to divide it evenly. Roll each piece into a ball and cover with a damp kitchen towel for 30 minutes to rest.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Place a baking sheet on the center rack of the oven so it can preheat at the same time. Do not grease.
• Roll each ball into a circle about 8 inches across. The dough should be paper thin, almost translucent. If they are too thick, they will bubble up like pita breads.
• Pull out the oven shelf and place as many crackers on your baking sheet as you can fit, 2 or 3. Close the oven and bake for about 3 minutes. The crackers should be lightly browned on the top with small bubbles. You may have to adjust your thickness for the next batch.

LAVASH ARMENIAN THIN BREAD

Steps:

• Place the tepid water in your electric mixing bowl and add the olive oil, sugar, and yeast. Using the batter blade let the electric mixer blend these very well.
• It will take about 5 minutes on low speed.
• Stir in the salt. Gradually add 2 cups of the flour and beat on low speed until a thick and smooth batter forms.
• Change the blade to a bread dough hook and knead in the additional 2 cups of flour.
• If you do not have a heavy mixer such as a KitchenAid, incorporate the flour with a wooden spoon and finish the kneading by hand.
• Kneading should take about 10 minutes in the machine, 20 minutes by hand.
• Place the dough on a plastic countertop and cover with a large stainless-steel bowl.
• Allow the dough to rise until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch the dough down and divide into 8 pieces.
• Let stand, covered, 15 minutes.
• Roll out each piece of dough into a 12-inch-diameter circle. Working with 2 pieces of dough at a time, arrange breads on ungreased baking sheets.
• Brush with milk and sprinkle sesame seeds over tops.
• Pierce with a fork many times, all over.
• Bake on the lowest racks in the oven, at 375F, for 8-10 minutes, or until light brown.
• Rotate the pans in the oven from top to bottom, to insure even browning.
• Serve dry or wet. (To wet, hold the cracker under running water until lightly moistened all over, and then wrap in a moist towel for 10-15 minutes.) If the cracker is too dry to roll, it will crack.
• Sprinkle with a little more water and let stand a few minutes.
• If it is too wet, cover with a dry towel and let it stand.

LAVASH BREAD

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast into warm water in large bowl and stir until dissolved.
• Add salt and yogurt.
• Combine all-purpose and whole wheat flours and add enough to mixture to make stiff dough.
• Turn out on floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Shape into ball.
• Place in greased bowl and turn to grease top.
• Cover and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down and let rise again until doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Divide dough into 8 pieces and roll each out on lightly floured surface to very thin circle about 9 inches in diameter. (also can just make one big sheet of lavash).
• Brush a bit of olive oil over the tops and then sprinkle with any seed.
• Put on baking sheet .
• Bake at 400F 5 to 6 minutes, or until bread appears dry, lightly browned and blistered!
• Its done!

BLACK PEPPER LAVASH - MIDDLE EASTERN 'CRACKER / CRISP BREAD'

Steps:

• Whisk together egg and water until evenly combined; set aside. Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange the rack in the middle.
• Combine flour, butter, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until ingredients resemble cornmeal, about 2 minutes. Add egg mixture and mix on medium-low speed until just incorporated. Divide into three pieces, form into flat disks, cover each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Place one dough piece on a lightly floured surface and, using a floured rolling pin, roll dough into a paper-thin sheet (about 1/16 inch thick), approximating the dimensions of your baking sheet.
• Place dough on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Press pepper into lavash and bake until golden brown and crisp, about 18 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare remaining dough. Once baked, transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SANDWICH WRAP MOCK LAVASH BREAD (GLUTEN-FREE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Mix together all dry ingredients in the bowl of mixer.
• Mix together water (start with 3/4 cup), agave nectar, olive oil and vinegar.
• Pour liquid ingredients into dry and mix on low until blended. The dough should not resist the beaters and bounce around in the bowl but rather be more of a soft cookie dough - maybe even a bit more wet.
• Beat the dough on high for no more than 2 minutes.
• Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Spread the dough as thinly as possible to cover the 10 x 15″ jelly roll pan. (To do this, I used a rubber spatula and kept dipping it in to water to keep the dough from sticking. This dough is not really as sticky as you might think - but the extra water helps push it out easier.).
• Bake at 400F for 13-16 minutes until the top begins to brown and the edges are browned. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight bag.

LAVASH CRACKER - BREAD

Steps:

• Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and mix one minute until ingredients are uniformly distributed.
• Place in an oiled 2 cup measuring cup and cover. Let rest for 10 minutes and begin kneading on a lightly floured surface.
• Knead for 5 minutes (it's a stiff dough) and place back into the cup and cover.
• in 20 minutes, remove the dough, stretch into a rectangle as large as possible without tearing and fold letter-style, top to bottom third and bottom to top third. Do this from sides as well. Replace into measuring cup and cover.
• In 20 minutes, do another stretch and fold and replace into cup. Let rest in a warm place until doubled in volume. This make take another hour to hour and 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F A baking stone can be used if desired.
• Divide the dough into 2 equal halves and roll one half out on a lightly floured surface until it resists rolling. Do the same with the other half. Return to the first dough piece and continue to roll out until each piece is a 12" x 15" rectangle or a 15" diameter circle. Lift the doughs occasionally and return to the surface and re-flour lightly as needed.
• Cover each dough with a thin towel or plastic wrap lightly to prevent sticking (can use flour or oil to prevent sticking but not usually necessary). Let rest for 5 minutes.
• Lift the dough and place onto a half size baking sheet (12" x 16" or so) that has been fitted with parchment paper or silpat pad.
• Spray the doughs with water lightly and sprinkle toppings (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sea salt, Italian seasonings and/or paprika). Lightly press or roll the toppings into the dough. Instead of water, an egg wash or milk wash can be applied.
• Using a fork, press holes into the dough to reduce the bubbling that flatbreads all do.
• Bake for 4 minutes and rotate pan or pans and bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the crackers are uniformly browned lightly and crispy. Remove and cool on the pan, counter or rack.

CAUCASIAN THIN BREAD (LAVASH)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt.
• Add 3 ¼ cups of the flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing well with each addition with a wooden spoon.
• Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes, adding enough of the remaining flour to prevent sticking. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with the melted butter and turn to coat with the butter. Cover with a cotton cloth and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours.
• Punch the dough down and divide into six pieces. Shape each into a ball and flatten into 1 inch thick rounds. Cover with a cloth and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a large, heavy-duty baking sheet in the oven to heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
• On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out one of the pieces of dough into a 12 X 10 inch rectangle. Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Drape the rolled-out dough over the rolling pin and unroll it onto the baking sheet. Bake in the lower third of the oven until the bread is slightly bubbly and browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet to the work surface, sprinkle with cold water, and cover with a cloth. Repeat with the rest of the dough. When all the breads are baked, wrap in aluminum foil and let stand for 30 minutes.
• If you like crispy breads, don't sprinkle with water or wrap in foil. Let the breads cool on a wire rack.