Best Naan Cast Iron Griddle Recipes

HOMEMADE NAAN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast, salt and anise seeds (if using). Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together, the yogurt, olive oil, and ¾ cup warm water (about 100°F). Add the yogurt mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork. When the dough is about to come together, dust your hands with flour and knead gently into a soft, slightly sticky dough (sprinkle more flour, little by little, if the dough is too wet to work with). As soon as it comes together, stop kneading.
• Lightly oil or spray a clean bowl with nonstick cooking spray (the bowl should be large enough to allow the dough to double in size). Transfer the dough to the prepared bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel. Let sit in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until about doubled in size (hint: the warmer the spot, the faster the dough will rise).
• Fill a small bowl with about ½ cup flour. Dust a work surface with some of the flour and dump the dough on top. Sprinkle some of the flour on top of the dough and on your hands. Shape the dough into a long rectangle and cut into 6 equal portions, dusting with more flour as necessary so the dough doesn't stick. Roll each portion of dough in the bowl of flour to keep them from sticking.
• Warm a large cast iron or heavy nonstick pan over medium-high heat until very hot. Using a rolling pin, roll one of the dough balls into an oval shape about ⅛-inch thick (it should be about 9 x 4 inches). Pick up the dough and flip-flop it back and forth between your hands to release any excess flour; then gently lay the dough in the dry skillet and cook until the top is bursting with air bubbles and the bottom is golden and blackened in spots, a few minutes. Flip the naan and cook about 1-2 minutes more until the the bottom is lightly browned and blistered in spots. Remove the naan from the skillet and brush with melted butter. Place the naan in a tea towel-lined dish to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining naans, adjusting the heat lower if necessary as you go (I usually find it necessary to lower the heat to medium after the first naan). Sprinkle with parsley, if using, and serve warm.
• To keep the cooked naan warm, place them in a 200°F oven. Store leftovers in a Ziplock bag and reheat in a 350°F oven wrapped in foil.
• Note: I use King Arthur flour, which is higher in protein than some other all-purpose flours. If using a flour with a lower protein content, such as Gold Medal, you will likely need to add a few more tablespoons of flour.
• Note: Active dry yeast may be used instead of instant/rapid-rise yeast, however, the dough will take longer to rise. To give active dry yeast a boost, you can dissolve it in the lukewarm water and let it sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. After that, add it to the flour, sugar, salt, and anise seeds, and proceed with the recipe.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The naan can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once it's completely cooled, wrap each piece securely in plastic wrap and put all the rounds in a sealable plastic bag prior to putting in the freezer. To reheat, wrap the naan in aluminum foil and warm in a 350°F oven until hot.

GARLIC NAAN

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar, and yeast in a bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and forms a creamy foam, about 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, heat butter in a pan over medium heat until melted and sizzling. Quickly mix in garlic. Remove garlic butter from heat and set aside until ready to use.
• Add yogurt, bread flour, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the garlic butter to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Knead by hand until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, adding more water or flour as needed. Turn dough out onto the counter and continue kneading into a smooth ball, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Place dough in a large bowl. Coat with a few more drizzles of garlic butter. Cover and let rise until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Punch down dough and turn out onto the counter. Shape into a rough rectangle and cut into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and lightly dust with flour. Cover with plastic wrap and proof until slightly puffy, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Roll each piece into an oval about 1/8 inch thick. Sprinkle some cilantro on top and press lightly to adhere.
• Preheat a cast iron skillet until very, very hot, about 5 minutes. Cook each naan until large bubbles form, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip over, press gently, and cook until bubbles on the bottom are charred, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Brush naan with more garlic butter before serving.

NAAN (CAST IRON GRIDDLE)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together flours, salt and baking powder. Using a wooden spoon, stir buttermilk into flour mixture. When dough becomes too stiff to mix with a spoon, dust your hands with flour and knead dough in bowl until dry and wet ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let ferment in the refrigerator at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
• Dust work surface liberally with flour. Shape dough into balls 3 to 3.5 inches in diameter. The dough will be very sticky; use as much flour as you need to handle it. Use a rolling pin to roll each dough ball into a circle about 6 inches in diameter.
• Heat a dry cast-iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Slick skillet with 1 T oil. Pick up a dough circle, stretch it out a bit more, shake off any excess flour and place it in skillet. Cook until naan starts to bubble, 1-2 minutes. Drizzle another T of oil over surface of naan, then use tongs or a metal spatula to flip naan. Cook until there is no visible raw flour and surface is speckled brown, 1-2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining dough, adding more oil to pan as needed. Stack finished naan, one on top of another, on plate as you go to keep them warm.
• Serve naan warm. (Naan will keep, covered in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days at room temperature. Warm in a 350 degree oven before serving.

EASY NAAN

Steps:

• Grease a large bowl lightly with ghee.
• In a small bowl, stir the yeast and a pinch of the sugar into the water. Set aside for 3 to 5 minutes, at which point the mixture should look foamy. If it isn't, wait for another minute, and if it is still without activity, start again with fresh yeast.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, and remaining sugar. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, as if making a small volcano. Whisk the yogurt into the yeast mixture, then pour the yeast-water mixture into the middle of the dry ingredients (or crater, to continue the metaphor). With a fork, slowly bring the walls of the well into the liquid a little at a time, until all the liquid is incorporated but some loose flour remains. Turn the whole bowl out onto a clean work surface. Knead the dough until it is a satiny lump, 5 to 8 minutes. If the dough is too sticky to handle at any point, dust with flour.
• Place the dough in the ghee-slicked bowl and cover with a damp, lint-free kitchen towel to rest at room temperature until doubled in bulk, 3 to 4 hours. (At this point, the dough can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Take chilled dough out of the fridge 30 minutes before using.)
• Preheat an oven to 200°F (95°C) with an ovenproof serving dish on the rack set in the middle.
• Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Shape each piece into a tight ball by rolling between your cupped hand and a work surface. Re-cover with your towel and leave the dough to relax, at least 5 and up to 10 minutes.
• Preheat a large cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Take one piece of dough and place in the center of a lightly floured work surface, keeping the rest of the balls covered. Use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a round approximately 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. If desired, pull on one side of the circle to form the traditional teardrop shape. If ever the dough resists rolling and springs back, move on and shape another ball of dough, then return to the first when finished. Once shaped, brush the dough with water and, if using, press any desired seasonings into the surface. Set the dough into the hot pan, wet side down, and brush the now-exposed dry side of the dough with a little water. Cover and cook, undisturbed, until bubbles form on the top of the dough, and the underside is speckled and brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the naan and press with a folded kitchen towel to flatten any large bubbles. Replace the lid and cook until the underside is as browned as the top, 1 to 2 minutes more, then flip back over and brush with melted ghee.
• Keep the naan warm in the oven as the remaining dough is shaped and cooked. The naan are best eaten right away but can be stored at room temperature for 1 day. Rewarm in a low oven, wrapped in foil. Garnish with the cilantro.
• Omit the yeast. Stir 3/4 cup (175 ml) milk with the yogurt instead of using water. Whisk together the flours, salt, and sugar as above, adding 1 teaspoon baking powder and a generous 3/4 teaspoon baking soda to the mix. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients to form a dough. Knead, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour before shaping and cooking as above.