Skillet Naan Flatbread

Yield 8 Large Servings

If you've never made homemade bread, you should give this a try. There are so many ways to serve Naan bread. This bread could be used to make fresh pizza, just follow the recipe below to make the crust.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Top cooked Naan bread with desired sauce, fresh cheese and cooked meat or vegetables. Bake on center rack for 8-10 minutes or until cheese melts.

I tried variations of Naan recipes, and I even tried an egg in this one, but I think this final recipe has a good texture and is quite tasty without eggs; try it instead, with  cooked egg and bacon on top!

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons dry yeast

• ¾ cup warm milk (not hot but warmer than room temp, or about 110 degrees)

• 1 Tablespoon sugar

• 21/2 cups flour (plus more for kneading)

• 11/4 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• Optional dried or powdered seasonings.

• ½ cup firm, Greek yogurt

• 3 Tablespoons cooled, melted, unsalted butter (plus extra to spread on cooked Naan)

• ¼ cup warm water (comfortable enough to put your finger into it)

• Smart Balance Oil for coating hands and dough

• Cooking Spray (Canola spray was used here)

• 1 Tablespoon fresh or roasted minced garlic (optional, or you could use any favorite fresh herb in the final roll out)

Directions

In a 2 cup measuring cup, mix yeast and milk until dissolved; stir in sugar and set aside for 5 minutes; the yeast mixture will expand and have bubbles at the top.

In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, salt and baking powder; give it a quick stir to incorporate. If you want any additional flavor, now is the time to sprinkle in any dry seasonings, such as, 1/8 teaspoon of onion powder, or 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder, or both or more. No dry seasonings were used in this recipe only salt, and fresh garlic was rolled in at the end of preparation. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add yogurt and cooled melted butter to the milk and yeast mixture; stir well using a fork, and add it to the flour a little at a time while slowly mixing the dough by hand until all the milk mixture is incorporated and sticky dough starts to form.

Once the dough starts to form continue to knead a little more while adding the warm (not hot) water. “Do not overwork the dough; you barely have to knead it.”

As soon as you have a large, rough, less sticky dough ball, drizzle a coat of oil on it by hand, and transfer it into a LARGE plastic covered bowl for 1 hour. Keep the dough in a warm location, away from any drafts.

The dough should be double in size after 1 hour, a little smoother, and ready for kneading again.

Sprinkle a working surface and your hands with flour; knead the dough for about 30 seconds, then make 8 equal balls. 

Coat dough balls with oil for the last time, and place them in a large clean, plastic, covered bowl for 30 minutes. Keep the dough in a warm area.

Finally, after the balls have increased, sprinkle flour on your hands, rolling surface, and rolling pin. Gently knead and roll each ball flat and roll in the garlic or herbs.

Roll the Naan in-between cooking each piece unless you have enough counter space to roll them all out at once. You can roll them in the desired shape, and as large as what will fit in your skillet, but not too thin that they tear; this Naan was rolled to about 1/8-1/4” thick. Dust off excess flour prior to cooking; use a bit of cooking spray on your skillet in between each piece.

Cook the Naan over a medium high heat. You could adjust the heat after the first Naan is cooked. Each piece will take a few minutes to get golden brown, and you make the first flip of the dough after the dough starts to bubble.

Brush the Naan with butter as soon as you remove it from the skillet, and start stacking them until they are all cooked. Naan bread is best served when warm.

Note

Clean a new iron skillet just once with dish soap, and follow the drying and oil coating process before use. Promptly after cooking, clean it with hot water only, and a dedicated scrub brush over your sink, (use a pot holder while the pan is hot or when you are cleaning it.) Shake off excess water, and place the skillet over medium heat until thoroughly dry. Remove from heat, then immediately dip a folded paper towel into a can of shortening; Rub entire skillet with shortening until it is completely coated with a slight sheen (Be careful not to burn your fingers.) It will be ready to use again or let it cool to store.