Enough politics.... more bread.

I awoke this morning with the urge to eat fresh bread, so out came the cookbook. by lunch time I had finished and the long loaf on the left is already gone, warm with butter and rasberry jam. This Nan recipe comes from the book you see behind the bread, Afghan Food & Cookery.


5.25 cups flour (I used 3 whole wheat, remainder white)
1.5 tsp salt
1 pkt yeast
4-5 tsp vegetable oil (optional)
2 cups warm water

Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Add the yeast and mix to combine the dry ingredients. Mix in vegetable oil (I used olive oil) and rub in with hands. Gradually add the warm water to the flour mixture and mix with hands until a smooth round, soft dough is formed. Knead for another 7 to 10 minutes until the dough is elastic and smooth. Form into a ball, cover with a damp cloth and let sit in a moderately warm location and let sit for an hour or until dough has doubled in bulk.

Preheat oven to 500degrees. Line a baking tray with aluminium foil and place in oven to get hot. Divide dough into four equal sized ball, shape or roll out the dough into oval shapes about 1/2 inch thick. Wet your hand and make deep grooves down the center of each. According to the book groves are made by hand when a women cooks the nan and they are cut in when a man makes it.) I used various implents to decorate/cut the nan.
Remove the hot baking tray from the oven and place the nan onto it. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until the nan is golden brown. I cooked mine on a pizza stone in the oven, one or two loaves at a time.