Naan/Pita

DIP THIS SOFT AND FLUFFY BREAD IN HUMMUS OR TZAZIKI, OR STUFF IT WITH ITALIAN MEATBALLS AND RICH TOMATO SAUCE.

I have been using this perfect naan recipe from Anneka Manning’s book Mastering the Art of Baking for years, and it’s hit in my house. I am not an advanced baker, so I always make sure to follow exactly what the recipe says in order to make sure I don’t mess up the results. I use a KitchenAid mixer to help me with the kneading until I need to cut it into pieces and flatten them to broil. If you do not have a KitchenAid or similar product, just use your hands. After getting very good results from this recipe, I have modified it from 100% all-purpose flour to part whole flour to add some fibre. This also gives it a slightly nutty flavour. 

Makes 7 palm sized pieces
Active time 45 min + 1 hour proofing
Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

180 ml lukewarm full-fat milk

2 tsp caster sugar

2 tsp dried yeast

350 g all-purpose flour

100 g wholemeal flour

1 tsp fine salt

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp vegetable oil

160 g plain full-fat yoghurt

1 egg, lightly whisked 

Recipe Preparation

Combine milk, sugar, and yeast in a glass bowl. Stir to mix and set aside until foamy (around 5 minutes).

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder into mixer. Add yeast mixture, oil, yoghurt, and egg. Use hook attachment at low speed to form a course dough. Pause during mixing and use a spatula to scrape off the dry mixture into the liquid, making sure everything is combined thoroughly. Repeat the same process, turning the speed setting to 2-3, and let it mix/knead for about 10 minutes, or until quite smooth and elastic. The dough might look a bit wet, which is normal, as I have added extra milk to this recipe to keep the naan soft and fluffy.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a large oiled bowl. Turn the dough to coat it in oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it aside in a warm, draught-free environment for an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 240℃, using fan and grill functions if your oven has them. Preheat a large baking tray in the oven.

Knock back the dough with just one punch to expel the air. Divide it into 7 pieces and roll each portion into a ball. On a lightly floured work surface, working with one ball at a time, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a palm-sized rough oval.

Working quickly, pull out the preheated tray and place 2 pieces of naan onto it. Bake for 3 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Keep the naan warm in a large dish towel.

You can keep the naan in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 8 weeks, though this never happens at my house, because they are usually gone within 1-2 weeks!