Acharuli Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese and Egg Bread)

I'm incredibly intrigued by this month's Bread Baking Babes featured bread. Aparna is our host kitchen of the month, and she has chosen Acharuli (Adjaruli) Khachapuri, or Georgian Egg and Cheese Bread. Apparently Khachapuri, described as a "warm, gooey cheese-stuffed bread that oozes and drips with heart-stopping goodness" by the website Gudaturi, is one of the most popular dishes in Georgia. Apparently each reason is famous for a different variety of this bread. The The boat-shaped Adzharuli that is filled with salty cheese and topped with a raw egg and butter hails from the southwestern Adzharian province.

I made this very last-minute and didn't use the correct (traditional) type of cheese. Not that I could easily get my hands on a soft sheep's milk variety, but Saveur uses a mix of Muenster and Feta that looks like it might be a fairly good substitute. I actually thought that I still had some feta around, and was going to mix it with mozzarella...but apparently it was eaten sometime between when I made the bread and the last time I looked. So I had to improvise. I used mozzarella and Parmesan instead. It was good, but it didn't give me that soft gooey filling.

Guerilla Scallion Pancakes | The Art of Eating Through the Zombie Apocalypse

"When the undead rise, social conventions will crumble faster than a good shortbread."

I wasn't always a huge zombie fan. I didn't clamor around the ticket office to buy tickets to the latest George Romero flick when it was released—but I always looked forward to watching them on dvd, tape (yes, I'm that old), or television. I still wouldn't call myself zombie-crazed, but there are a couple of amazing movies and tv shows centered around zombies that top my list of all-time favorites. I'm pretty sure that you can guess at least one of them.

Go ahead...I'll wait.

Oh yes, that was fast. If you said The Walking Dead, you would be correct. How could a fan of good television NOT love one of the best shows on right now? I'm hooked. I watch reruns and marathons and shake my fist at the writers and the far-too-long wait between seasons.

Chapati, aka Roti (Indian Flatbread)

It never ceases to amaze me the amazing things that result from using only three simple ingredients: flour, salt, and water. That is exactly the case with this month's Bread Baking Babes challenge—Chapatis (Roti), issued by BBBabe Elizabeth. Elizabeth mentioned that "something nice and plain after all our excesses over the holidays" was in order. I had to agree. Even though I didn't make the gorgeous Nutella Brioche flowers that the BBBabes made last month, there was still excess.

As soon as I read through the instructions for making Chapatis, I realized that making them is basically like making flour tortillas. It's pretty amazing how so many different cultures make a very similar version of the same food, don't you think? Each may have a slightly different method, or use a slightly different technique or tool. Different, but not.

Elizabeth made a very helpful video (included after the recipe below) that actually helped me see the major difference between making tortillas and making chapatis. Of course, she uses an electric stove, and I use a gas stove, and that actually makes a difference, as well.

Rghaïf (Moroccan Flat Bread) - Bread Baking Babes

This month marks the 6-year anniversary of The Bread Baking Babes! Congrats Babes, it's been a pleasure both baking along with you, both as a former BBBuddy and a current BBBabe. And welcome to our brand new Babes, Aparna and Cathy - we are once again a complete dozen!

Lien is our kitchen-of-the-month, and she has chosen a Moroccan Flat Bread (Rghaïf) as our challenge. Rghaïf is a common street food in Morocco, and often eaten at breakfast or tea time. We were warned that they were a bit tricky to make. So of course, in usual fashion, I set about making them at the last minute.

At the risk of sounding like a pompous arse, I'm gonna go ahead and put this out there - I actually found these super simple to make. Making them is basically like making flour tortillas, except that you have to stretch and roll them thinner; paper-thin, actually. And in case you were wondering, yes, they taste like a tortilla, too. A thick, layered tortilla, but still a tortilla.

Aloo Paratha {Bread Baking Babes}

My paratha rolling needs perfecting.  To say the least.  These whole wheat flatbreads are stuffed with a spicy potato filling that was bound and determined to find its way out.  Oh, and I should probably mention that there wasn't actually any whole wheat flour in my parathas.  There was meant to be, but since I found myself attempting these very last moment (as in, this morning), I was unable to zip to the market to pick up another bag of whole wheat flour when I discovered that weevils were making a home in mine.

So, I went through every bag of flour that I had tightly rolled, but not put inside a container or zippered baggie.  This morning I threw out 3/4 of a bag of white whole wheat flour, half a bag of regular whole wheat flour, 1/2 bag of buckwheat flour, a whole box (minus a tablespoon or so) of cornstarch, 3/4 of a bag of masa harina, a box of rice flour, and a 1/4 of a bag of cake flour.

I was left with all-purpose flour that I have in an airtight jar, plus a bag of unopened bread flour.  I'm praying that those nasty little things didn't find their way into that unopened bag.  It seems to be sealed pretty tightly, so hopefully it's good.

Nan e Barbari (Persian Flatbread) {Bread Baking Babes}

If you are not yet comfortable with yeast, I do not recommend starting the familiarization process with this bread.  It's slack.  It's sticky.  In a nutshell, it's a frustrating pain-in-the-bum.  I only say this because I've "spoken" with a fair number of friends out there who are just starting to dip their toes into the yeast pool.  And thinking back a few years to when I was the one hanging onto the ladder with all of my might - if I had tried making this bread then, I might have cried.  I definitely would have given up.

So yes, beginners beware!  While these loaves are tasty, with a chewy inside and a thin outer crust that is flavored with an unusual (well, not unuuuuusual-unusual...just that I hadn't used this method before now) and strangely intriguing "wash" of sorts.  Plus, it's the type of bread that you can get major satisfaction from ripping hunks of it off of the loaf.  Or I can, at least.  But you may want to get comfortable with a few "easier" loaves under your belt first (this Cuban Bread, this Fast Focaccia, or maybe this Yeasted Beer Bread are all good places to start - not to mention any no-knead varieties, which are what really helped me understand how yeast works).

Now, if you and yeast are old buddies...or at least on good terms...tackling our Bread Baking Babes bread of the month, chosen by our brave host, Elizabeth could be some fun.  If you consider cursing loose, wet dough into submission using inevitably messy hands and sheer willpower fun.  And depending on the day, I do.  Because really, what's more rewarding than a loaf of fresh baked bread that smells so good the neighbor kids playing in your yard comment on it!?

Okay, eating it. That's just as rewarding, but you get my drift.  But definitely make it on a day where you have time to give it some attention...not a day when you're rushing around doing a million things.  It may have the tendency to piss you off, if you do.  I think going into it with full knowledge of what you're getting yourself into is key!

So, if I haven't scared you off, here's our bread of the month...

Nan e Barbari (Persian Flatbread)

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 2 - 2.5 hours (largely unatten

Cook Time: 15-30 minutes (depending on me

Keywords: bake bread vegan nut-free soy-free dairy-free Middle Eastern

Ingredients (2 loaves)

for the dough:

• 5 grams (~1-1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 360 grams (1-1/2 cups) lukewarm
• 60 grams (1/2 cup) 100% whole wheat flour
• 360 grams (2-3/4 cups) unbleached all purpose flour + more as needed
• 2 grams (1/2 teaspoon) baking powder
• 6 grams (1 teaspoon) sea salt

to finish:

• handful of sesame seeds, nigella seeds, or poppyseeds

for the Romal (sauce):

• 1/2 teaspoon unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 80 grams (1/3 cup) water

Instructions

making the dough by hand:

Pour the water into a large bowl, and whisk in the yeast.

Add the flours, baking powder, and salt; stir with a wooden spoon until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn the dough out onto an floured board.

Using both hands on either side of the dough and thumbs resting on the top in the center, lift it up and flip it over in the air before plopping it back down on the board. Fold the dough in half away from you as you plop the dough down. Keep repeating until the dough is smooth. Every so often, use a dough scraper to clean the board. Stretching the dough is desired on the turns. But this won't start happening right away.

When the dough is smooth, place it into a clean, lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap and allow to rise at room temperature until doubled in size.

making the dough in a bread machine:

Add all ingredients to the pan of your bread machine in the order suggested by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle. Go about your business until your bread machine screeches at you.

preparing the Romal (sauce):

Whisk flour, baking soda and water in a small pot, and bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Pre-shaping:

Put a good coating of flour on a work surface and gently dump and scrape the risen dough onto it - yes, the dough is very loose and will come out in long, stringy strands.

Using a bench scraper, cut the dough in half. Form each piece into a ball as best you can (using well-floured hands) and place them at a fair distance apart on your work surface. Cover gently with a clean tea towel, or a couple sheets of plastic wrap that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Allow to rise until doubled in size, 30-60 minutes.

Final Shaping:

Flip a baking sheet upside down and line it with parchment paper. Set aside.

Brush each round with the Romal - really slather the sauce on, it will keep your hands from sticking to the dough!

Dip your fingers in the sauce and dimple the rounds down to form two ovals with lengthwise furrows. Transfer each to one half of the prepared baking sheet.

Liberally brush ovals with the sauce once more and sprinkle with whichever type of seeds you are using. Allow the dough to stand for about 30 minutes.

Baking in an oven:

While your dough is standing, preheat the oven to 375° F. Once the dough has finished resting, gently lift and stretch the ovals again, taking care not to deflate them. When doing this step, wet your hands slightly (use the Romal if you have some left), and gently pull using the tops of your hands (palms down). Slide the sheet into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

I think that baking the loaves makes them look quite anemic, as traditionally they are baked in a grill or barbecue, which seems to give them a beautiful golden color. If you are able to bake them this way, I'd recommend it (instructions follow).

Baking on a grill or barbecue:

Put a stone into the barbecue and preheat it to high. Before putting them onto the stone, pull each oval with your hands to lengthen it (using same method as above).

Slide the dough onto the hot stone (parchment and all). Move the stone over to cook the bread on indirect heat. Close the barbecue lid. Every so often turn the bread around to account for uneven heat in the barbecue. Cook the bread until it is golden, about 15 minutes.

Serve warm, preferably as an accompaniment to a meal of meats, kabobs, and thickly cut vegetable salads.

notes:

These loaves are based on this Barbari Bread. To see these done cooked on a barbecue, check out Elizabeth's post on blog from OUR kitchen.

The Bread Baking Babes are:   Bake My Day - Karen | blog from OUR kitchen - Elizabeth | Feeding my Enthusiasms - Pat/Elle | girlichef  - Heather | Life's a Feast - Jamie | Living in the Kitchen with Puppies - Natashya | Lucullian Delights - Ilva | My Kitchen In Half Cups - Tanna | Notitie Van Lien - Lien | Paulchen's Foodblog - Astrid | Provecho Peru - Gretchen | Thyme for Cooking - Katie (Bitchin’ Bread Baking Babe Bibliothécaire)

The Bread Baking Buddies are: YOU!

If you'd like to bake along as a buddy this month, head on over to the hosting Babe's kitchen for this month (Elizabeth at blog from OUR kitchen) for the base recipe (you're welcome to adapt) and any special instructions.  Then send her your post by the 28th to receive your buddy badge and be included in the Bread Baking Buddy roundup.  I hope you join us!

I am also sending this post over to Susan's Yeastspotting

Blue Corn Tortillas & Pueblo Carne Adobado (Pueblo Chile-Bathed Pork)

I caught it.  And I am NOT happy about it.  The stupid (for lack of enough brain power to think of a better word) sickness that has been ravaging the country.  Or at least the surrounding area.  Poor Sweet Thang is on the tail-end of a month-long battle that included antibiotics, other prescriptions, plenty of over-the-counter meds, and lots of lovin'.  Drama Queen didn't get it full blast (knock on wood), she just needed a hit of decongestant to ease the pressure on her ears.  Mexi caught it full-blast last week (one minute you're fine, the next you feel like you've been hit by a steamroller).  I thought...hey, I'm gonna make it past it...along with Lyrical Teen.  Well.  Wrong.  A few nights ago I went to bed fine and woke up with a sore throat and the inability to swallow gracefully.  Not to mention the ice picks stabbing my brain and the crazy pains in my neck and my back.  It doesn't help that I watched Contagion last week.  Lyrical Teen triumphantly claimed that he was Matt Damon.  And I wasn't.  Grrrrrr.  Okay, that will make no sense if you didn't see the movie, but I don't want to ruin it for anybody who hasn't seen it.

And you know what really sucks about not having a "real" (ie...paying) job?  Lack of insurance.  (No worries, the kids are covered...it's just us adults that are screwed.)  So.  This morning after the kids were off to get some learnin', Mexi and I decided to drive over to the local Health Clinic to see if we could be seen.  Fortunately for him, he'd been there before, so he got an appointment for tomorrow.  I, on the other hand hadn't, so I couldn't be seen until the end  of February.  Great.  So, when I'm dead or close to it.  So the big dilemma ensues in my head.  Do I go to the emergency room and rack up a bill that will probably be about 500 smackers?  I could go to our "regular" doctor and rack up a significantly lower bill, but a bill still.  Or I could get some antibiotics from an "underground" source.  Within minutes.  No, I'm not even sure if I need antibiotics, but I have been through enough bouts of ear/sinus infections in my day to know how they feel.  Add some of the Mucinex that you have to get behind the counter...good to go.  I hope.  Obviously that was what I chose.

But really, this is all just leading up to the reason we were out driving around this morning.  After I'd tossed back 500 mg of my underground meds, hubs asked if I was hungry.  Well, yes.  But it hurts to eat, so I don't really crave anything.  We went into one of the many local mercado/taquerias anyway and I stared at the board trying to decide what the easiest thing to swallow (literally) would be.  Often times, if you know somebody or "look the part", you'll get suggestions that aren't even listed.  I think this guy took one look at us and knew he had to suggest the Posole Verde.  And Menudo, but if it's not the kind that involves a young Ricky Martin, then I'm not interested.  Praise the heavens for posole, though.  The bowl was warm and deep with a low-dose of "green" heat, chewy hominy and tons of tender chicken shreds.  Once I squeezed my lime wedges over it and piled on the lettuce, cilantro, and onions...I was able to let the comfort slide down my throat with minimal pain.  And funny that even in the midst of feeling like sh*t, I lamented not having my camera with me.

Okay, I know it's not very clear, but what  I was trying so round-about-ly to convey is that Mexican and Southwest-style food is everyday fare for me.  It's been my favorite my whole life.  I have easy access to ingredients, we have an actual "Little Mexico" in our town, I'm married to a Mexican.  And I realize, after talking with distant friends, that this is something I just take for granted.  I can't imagine not having chiles and masa at the ready.  Well, upon cooking with a great group of bloggers spread across the globe, I realize that not everybody has such easy access.  What I thought was a simple, everyday dish can actually seem exotic to some.  As we continue to cook through Flatbreads & Flavors (2 "assignments" a month), I look forward to being challenged by cuisines from other locales...ones that may not be so comfortable to me...that aren't "my norm".  But I am ALWAYS happy to be eating Southwest and Mexican-inspired dishes like the Tortillas and Chile-Bathed Pork that you see here.  For me, this is comfort food at its finest.  Guajillo chiles don't carry much heat, so really it's just a bunch of very flavorful cubed pork wrapped in soft, steaming corn tortillas.  

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Pueblo Chile-Bathed Pork and Blue Corn Tortillas

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: overnight

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Keywords: simmer bread entree pork cornmeal chiles Southwest Mexican

Ingredients (serves 4)

Pueblo Chile-Bathed Pork (Pueblo Carne Adobado):

• ~1¾ lbs. lean boneless pork
• 2 oz. dried guajillo chiles, stemmed
• ¾ c. hot water
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. dried oregano
• 2 Tbs. olive oil

Blue Corn Tortillas

• 1½ c. blue cornmeal
• 1½ c. boiling water
• ¾-1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

Instructions

Pueblo Chile-Bathed Pork (Pueblo Carne Adobado):

Cut pork into small chunks. Place in a shallow nonreactive dish.

Prepare chile sauce by combining chiles and water in a blender and blending to a smooth paste. Add salt, garlic, and oregano; blend well.

Pour sauce over the pork and toss to coat. Cover and allow to marinate for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator.

Heat a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the oil. When hot, add the meat and saute until browned, stirring frequently. Add about ½ cup of water, partially cover and simmer over medium-low for 1 hour.

Serve with blue corn tortillas (or any type), crema or sour cream, and some pico de gallo (I used kumatos, scallions, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, and salt & pepper to make this pico).

Blue Corn Tortillas:

Place cornmeal in a bowl, pour the bowling water over and stir to mix. Let sit for 15 minutes. Stir ¼ cup flour into cornmeal, and turn this mixture out onto a work surface spread wtih ¼ cup more flour. Knead for 2-3 minutes, incorporating the flour into the dough...adding more flour as needed until dough is soft and no longer sticky. Return dough to bowl, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Divide dough into golfball size pieces and press in a tortilla press lined with plastic (or sprayed).

Cook on a preheated comal or heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) for about a minute per side,

or until flecked with brown on both sides and cooked through.

Remove and keep wrapped in a kitchen towel while you repeat with remaining dough.

pork and tortillas adapted from Flatbreads & Flavors by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

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In the second half of this month, we'll head to Penang (yes, completely out of my norm) to explore with some Coconut Milk Chicken Curry and Lacey Coconut Milk Pancakes.  I can't wait!

Check out more variations from other participants in this challenge:

---

1. Heather

2. Natashya

3. Astrid

4. Baking Soda

5. Soepkipje

6. Gretchen Noelle

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Flatbreads & Flavors Group
Dairy-Free (don't add crema) for Allergy Free Wednesdays

Sesame Seed Pitas + Chickpea Sauté w/ Broccoli, Cauliflower, & Hummus

Whenever we (husband and I) are craving a hearty meatless meal, this is what we seem to make.  Pungent flavors.  Warm, toasted bread.  Satisfying, belly-filling goodness.  We repeatedly crave this simple dish that came about once upon time, many years back, when I had leftover chickpeas from making a big, honkin' batch of hummus.  Because we looooo-hooove (um yes, that's supposed to be a sing-songy love) homemade hummus, as well.  It may seem kind of redundant.  Eating hummus with another chickpea dish.  Oh well.  It's brilliant together.  The difference in both the textures and the tastes taste need each other.  The meal is not complete with one component missing.  This time, however, is the first time I've ever made the pitas to go with it from scratch.  And now.  Now!  It pushes our favorite meatless meal over the edge....and we're glad to jump off after it.

Sesame Seed Pitas

from The Food Matters Cookbook by Mark Bittman

makes 12 pitas

1½ c. all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

1½ c. whole wheat flour

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. instant yeast

2 tsp. salt

1 c. warm water + more as needed

½ tsp. honey

2 Tbs. sesame seeds

Combine flours, oil, yeast and salt in a food processor.  Turn machine on and add 1 c. warm water through feed tube along w/ honey and sesame seeds.  Process for ~30 seconds, adding more water, a little at a time, until mixture forms a ball and is slightly sticky to the touch.  If it's dry, add 1-2 Tbs. water and process for another 10 seconds.

Put the dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled in size, 1-2 hours.

When dough is ready, lightly flour your hands and the work surface.  Form dough into a ball and divide into 12 equal pieces.  Roll each piece into a small ball.  Put each ball on a lightly floured surface, sprinkle with a little flour, and cover with plastic wrap or a towel.  Let rest until they puff slightly, ~20 minutes.

 Roll each ball less than ¼" thick, using flour to prevent sticking as necessary.  As you work, spread flat disks on a floured surface and keep them covered.  Dough should sit for 20 minutes before baking. When all the disks are rolled out heat oven to 350° F.  If you have a pizza stone, set it on the lowest rack in the oven, otherwise lightly oil a baking sheet and set it on middle rack in oven.

Slide as many disks as will fit on the stone or sheet pan into the oven using a pizza peel or large spatula.  Bake until lightly browned and puffed, then flip to the other side.  They should puff up a bit when ready.  Average baking time is ~5-6 minutes total.

If you wish, you can brush them with a little more olive oil when you remove them from the oven.  Eat right away or cooled, stored in wax paper or plastic bags...gently reheated before eating.  They can also be frozen.

That favorite meatless meal I was talking about earlier?  It's so incredibly simple...yet so incredibly addicting!

Chickpea Sauté with Broccoli, Cauliflower and Hummus
Heat a bit of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.  Add some thinly sliced onion and cook for a few minutes, or until soft.  Add in some minced garlic and cooked, drained chickpeas.  Cook until the chickpeas start to get some brown spots on them.  Add in some blanched cauliflower and broccoli.  Cook until they get little crisp, brown spots on them, too.  Throw in some read pepper flakes, a squeeze of fresh lemon and some freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve with some freshly made Hummus.  Scoop it all up into a hot pita.

Just don't say I didn't warn you of its addictive qualities!

I am sharing this post with...
*Yeastspotting!

Cheese Vali Gobi (Cauliflower w/ Cheese) and Garlic Naan

I have been completely enamored by Indian food for the last few months now.  At first it was just the thought of it...and the look of it...so warm and heavily laced with spices!  As I was introduced to more and more Indian bloggers, my desire to see that food materialize in front of me grew stronger.  Then our Cook the Books selection just happened to be Climbing the Mango Trees by Madhur Jaffrey (Indian writer, cook, actress) and I was momentarily immersed in her aristocratic, diverse family that drew influences from British, Punjabi, Hindi, Muslim, Buddhist...and even a bit of Western gasp!...among other regions, both in the kitchen and in their daily routine.  Jaffrey has such a way of writing that it draws you in and plops you into the kitchens, markets, and homes of India more than 50 years ago. So, when I found out that I passed through to round 3 of the Project Food Blog competition...in which the challenge was to create a dinner party with exotic (to you) flavors...I knew that was the perfect time to to try out a bunch of the Indian recipes I'd been coveting!  My entry would be  A Taste of India!  Voting is now open for round 3...if you'd be so kind as to give me a vote, you can click HERE!  Without further ado...I'll share a couple of my new favorite Indian dishes with you right now...

Cheese Vali Gobi

(Cauliflower w/ Cheese)

from Climbing the Mango Trees by Madhur Jaffrey

serves: 4-6

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 tsp. whole cumin seeds

1½ lbs. medium-sized cauliflower florets, cut so each has a stem

1¾ c. grated fresh tomatoes

One 1" piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated to a pulp

2 fresh hot green chiles, cut into slim rounds

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

¼ tsp. ground turmeric

1 Tbs. ground coriander

¾ tsp. salt, or to taste

¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro

3 Tbs. heavy cream

¼ c. coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 450° F.  Pour oil into a large, non-stick sauté pan over med-high heat.  When hot, add cumin seeds and let sizzle for 10 seconds. Add cauliflower and stir around for 2 minutes. Add tomato, ginger, chile, cayenne, turmeric, coriander and salt. Stir to mix and cook for 5-6 minutes, or until tomatoes are almost absorbed and cauliflower is almost done. Add the cilantro and mix in.

Pour contents of pan into an oven proof dish.  Add cream and mix.  Sprinkle cheese over top.  Put in top third of oven and bake 10-12 mins., or until cheese has melted and developed light brown spots. Serve hot.

This was one of my favorite parts of the whole Indian meal!  Of course, I said that with each bite of a different dish, so... Ha!  It was amazing, though.

Next I'll move on to the Naan.  Garlic Naan to be precise.  My friend Aipi from US Masala is an amazing cook, photographer and blogger and she's been kind enough to "school me" a bit on Indian cuisine.  Everything she makes is mouthwatering and she helped me learn a few of the Indian "classics".  Naan is one of the types of breads that is eaten in India a great deal...with the Garlic Naan being a favorite variation of Aipi's...and I knew before even attempting that it would be a favorite of mine, as well.  I mean....GARLIC!...'nuff said. 

Garlic Naan

from Aipi of US Masala * (<----- click to go to original recipe...THANK YOU!!)

*adapted ever-so-slightly

yield: 8-10 pieces

for the naan:

3½ c. ap flour + a bit more if needed

1 tsp. yeast

1 c. warm water

¼ c. milk, room temp.

¼ c. yogurt, room temp.

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. vegetable oil

4 garlic cloves, pressed (or smashed & minced)

for the garlic butter:

1/4 c. butter

~4 garlic cloves, pressed (or smashed & minced)

2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Dissolve yeast in water and add sugar, salt, oil, and milk.  Let sit for ~10 mins.  Stir in flour a bit at a time, with the yogurt, using a wooden spoon at first...then using your hands as it becomes firmer.  It will seem a bit sticky...that's good.  Sprinkle a little flour on the counter and knead for ~3-5 minutes, or until pliable.  Place in an oiled bowl cover with a damp towel.  Let sit ~1 hour, or until doubled in size.  Preheat oven to the highest setting, with a pizza stone on middle shelf when there is ~30 mins. left.

Punch it down, then divide it into 8-10 balls.  Keep the dough balls covered while you're working.  The dough is very soft...but that is what makes it so tender...so no worries.  Sprinkle work surface w/ a bit of flour and roll dough out into a long oval, ~1/8" thin.  Roll some of the garlic into the dough with the rolling pin.  Place one or two ovals of dough onto hot stone and cook for ~2 minutes per side, or until a bit bubbly and golden in spots.

While working with the dough, combine garlic and butter in small pan over low heat and cook until very fragrant.  Stir in cilantro.  Brush over warm naan as they come out of the oven.  SO STINKIN' DELICIOUS.

Watch for more recipes from my PFB Challenge #3 throughout the week!!  And remember to vote for your favorite bloggers to make it through another round...me included...hopefully...fingers crossed...best friends forever...

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