Perfect Homemade Naan

I have been on a Greek and Indian food kick lately. Chicken Schawarma. Tandoori Chicken. The Greek Steak Pitas in our 400 Calories or Less Cookbook. Except that it’s hard to find good pitas where I live, and while naan is definitely Indian, I’ve been making the Greek Steak  Pitas into more of a cucumber, onion, and tomato salad with a piece of this homemade naan on the side and it’s the perfect, refreshing summer dinner! You can cook it on the stovetop or on the grill (and probably on a pizza stone in the oven, too, but with the heat index topping off around 110, my oven is not coming on until this madness stops.)

how to make it

You’ll need water, sugar, yeast, salt, an egg, some Greek yogurt, and flour. If you want, you can also add chopped fresh garlic to the dough, which is a super, super delicious choice.

Place the warm water (I always say hot enough to take a hot shower in but not so hot you wouldn’t want to wash your face or hair in it) in a large mixing bowl or bowl of your stand mixer. Add the sugar and yeast…

Stir well and allow it to proof for 10 minutes or until bubbled and foamy.

Add beaten egg, Greek yogurt, kosher salt, garlic (if using), and combine. Add bread flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and barely sticks to your finger when you touch it.

Cover bowl and allow to rise in a warm spot for 1 hour or until doubled.

Using a sharp knife or just your hands, cut/tear off handfuls of dough and shape them into golfball-sized balls. Place on a greased cookie sheet or a piece of parchment. Repeat until all the dough is used.

Cover and rise again for 30 minutes.

ready to roll

When ready to cook, roll the dough balls into ovals about 1/4″ thick. Heat a cast iron skillet with a lid to medium heat (use medium-high if your stovetop seems to cook a little low–mine cooks HOT, so medium was plenty). Fill a small bowl with water and set it next to the stove. Have the melted butter and a basting brush ready.

Dip both hands in the water and pick up a piece of dough, so the dough is slightly wet on both sides. You may be able to fit a few pieces into the pan at a time. Cover with lid and cook for about 30 seconds or until the dough starts to bubble. Flip the dough, brush the cooked side with butter and, if desired, a little kosher salt. There will be some dark marks on the bread, but it shouldn’t be scorched. When done, transfer the naan to a serving dish and repeat with remaining dough. Serve warm.

Perfect Homemade Naan

This homemade naan is delicious served with Indian or Middle Eastern food or on an appetizer tray with hummus and yogurt dip.

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Ingredients

• 1 cup very warm water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 packet 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (I always use bread machine yeast)
• 1 egg beaten
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3 cloves minced garlic optional
• 3-4 1/2 cups bread flour
• 1/4 cup butter melted

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl or bowl of your stand mixer, combine the water, sugar, and yeast. Allow it to proof for 10 minutes or until bubbled and foamy. Add beaten egg, Greek yogurt, kosher salt, garlic (if using), and combine. Add bread flour, 1 cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl and barely sticks to your finger when you touch it. Cover bowl and allow to rise in a warm spot for 1 hour.
• Using a sharp knife or just your hands, cut/tear off handfuls of dough and shape them into golfball-sized balls. Place on a greased cookie sheet or a piece of parchment. Repeat until all the dough is used. Cover and rise again for 30 minutes.
• When ready to cook, roll the dough balls into ovals about 1/4" thick. Heat a cast iron skillet with a lid to medium heat (use medium-high if your stovetop seems to cook a little low--mine cooks HOT, so medium was plenty). Fill a small bowl with water and set it next to the stove. Have the melted butter and a basting brush ready.
• Dip both hands in the water and pick up a piece of dough, so the dough is slightly wet on both sides. You may be able to fit a few pieces into the pan at a time. Cover with lid and cook for about 30 seconds or until the dough starts to bubble. Flip the dough, brush the cooked side with butter and, if desired, a little kosher salt. There will be some dark marks on the bread, but it shouldn't be scorched. When done, transfer the naan to a serving dish and repeat with remaining dough.

Notes

This can also be made on a grill heated to medium, same instructions as for the stovetop (except close the lid instead of covering the pan.)

Author: kate jones

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