Middle eastern flat bread?

Question

After being deployed to Iraq I crave the flat bread that they make there.I tried it in Iraq but know there are similar types from all over the middle east.Does anyone have any idea how they make it?

In Iraq it is called "Hobus".If this helps any.

Answer 1

Hobus recipe


2 teaspoons dry yeast
2 cups lukewarm water
5 to 6 cups hard whole wheat flour, or 3 cups each hard whole wheat flour and hard unbleached white flour, or unbleached all purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

You will need a large bread bowl, unglazed quarry tiles to fit on a rack in your oven or several baking sheets, or a cast iron or other heavy griddle or skillet at least 9 inches in diameter, and a rolling pin. In a large bread bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Stir to dissolve. Stir in 3 cups flour, a cup at a time, and then stir 100 times, about 1 minute, in the same direction to activate the gluten. Let this sponge rest for at least 10 minutes, or as long as 2 hours. Sprinkle the salt over the sponge and stir in the olive oil. Mix well. Add more flour, a cup at a time, until the dough is too stiff to stir. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Rinse out the bowl, dry, and lightly oil. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until at least doubled in size, approximately 1B= hours. (The dough can be made ahead to this point and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

To save the dough in the refrigerator for baking later, gently punch it down. Wrap it in a plastic bag that is at least three times as large as the dough, and secure it just at the opening of the bag; this will give the dough room to expand while it is in the refrigerator. Then, from day to day, simply cut off the amount of dough you need and keep the rest in the refrigerator. After a few days, the dough will smell increasingly fermented, but the fermentation actually improves the taste of the bread, especially if baked on quarry tiles. (The dough should always be brought to room temperature before baking.)

If baking the breads: Place unglazed quarry tiles, or two small baking sheets, on the bottom rack of your oven, leaving a 1-inch gap all around between the tiles or sheets and the oven walls to allow heat to circulate. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Gently punch down the dough. Divide the dough in half, then set half aside, covered, while you work with the rest. Divide the other half into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece with lightly floured hands. Roll out each piece to a circle 8 to 9 inches in diameter and less than B< inch thick. Keep the rolled-out breads covered until ready to bake, but do not stack. Place 2 breads, or more if your oven is large enough, on the quarry tiles or baking sheets, and bake for 2 to 3 minutes, or until each bread has gone into a full "balloon." If there are seams or dry bits of dough, or for a variety of other reasons being. your quarry tiles are not sufficiently preheated the breads may not balloon properly. But don't worry, they will still taste great. The more you bake pitas, the more you will become familiar with all the little tricks and possible pitfalls, and your breads will more consistently balloon. Wrap the baked breads together in a large kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft while you bake the remaining rolled out breads. Then repeat with the rest of the dough.

To cook the pitas on top of the stove: Preheat a 9 inch or larger griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium high heat. When hot, lightly grease the surface of the griddle with a little oil. Meanwhile, gently punch down the dough and divide it in half. Cover one half and divide the other half into 8 pieces. Flatten each piece with well-floured hands, then roll out one at a time into circles less than B< inch thick and 8 to 9 inches in diameter. Gently put one bread onto the griddle. Cook for 15 to 20 seconds, then gently turn over. Cook for about 1 minute, until big bubbles begin to appear. Turn the bread again to the first side, and cook until the bread balloons fully. To help the process along, you can press gently with a towel on those areas where bubbles have already formed, trying to push the air bubble into areas that are still flat. (This is a technique that will quickly improve with practice). The breads should take no more than 3 minutes to cook, and, likewise, they shouldn't cook so fast that they begin to burn; adjust the heat until you find a workable temperature. Wrap the cooked breads in a large kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft while you cook and roll out the rest of the dough in the same way. There is no need to oil the griddle between each bread, but after 4 or 5 breads, you might want to lightly oil the surface again.

Alternatives: You can, of course, make smaller breads by dividing the dough into smaller pieces. The rolling out and cooking method and times remain the same. Children particularly love smaller pocket breads. Makes approximately 16 pocket breads, 8 to 9 inches in diameter. Serve with any Central Asian or western Asian meal. Always have stacks of fresh pita on the mezze table, whole or cut in wedges, and wrapped to keep soft and warm.


MSG URL: http://www.recipelink.com/gm/31/12966...

Answer 2

Middle Eastern Bread Types

Answer 3

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup water
1 egg white
2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 egg whites, beaten
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
In a large bowl, stir together, flour, sugar and salt. Add water, 1 egg white and melted butter; mix well to make a stiff dough. Knead until dough is smooth, about 5 minutes.
Divide dough into 10 balls. Roll each ball on lightly floured surface until paper thin. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until browned.

Answer 4

Perhaps you're thinking of lavash? Was it thinner and a little chewier than pita?

If that sounds right, I don't know how to make it, yet, but I'll be happy to look into that for you. Offering no promises, as I haven't kitchen tested this one, but this is one recipe I found on the about.com site:

http://mideastfood.about.com/od/breadsrice/r/lavashrecipe.htm


My own site is called "Borderlands" ( http://www.NearEastKitchen.com/ ), and sooner or later I'll have a few bread recipes up, including lavash. If none of the ones you find seem right, drop by in a few weeks once I have a contact page in place, and I'll give it a try.

Answer 5

Lavash

Ingredients

(12 servings)

1 1/4 lb (about 5 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Envelope dry yeast
2 1/4 ts Salt
3/4 ts Sugar
1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 1/4 To 1 1/2 cups warm water (120-130 F)
3/4 To 1 cup sesame seeds


Instructions

This Middle Eastern sesame cracker bread keeps for months wrapped in plastic or foil. Store in a dry place.
Makes about 12 to 15 crackers
Grease or butter a large bowl; set aside.
Combine first 4 ingredients in mixing bowl. Blend butter with 1 cup water and add gradually to dry ingredients, beatng continuously. If dough seems dry add more water as needed. Beat or knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning to coat entire surface. Cover with plastic wrap and hot damp towel and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 2 hours.
Remove oven racks from gas oven; with electric oven place bottom rack in lowest position and place baking sheet on rack. Preheat gas oven to 350 F, or electric oven to 375 F. Divide dough into pieces about the size of tennis balls. Spread sesame seeds on large breadboard or countertop. Working with one piece of dough at a time (keep remainging dough covered), place on board and roll out as thinly as possible without tearing dough.
Bake lavash, one at a time, until light golden with darker highlights, about 2 to 3 minutes on floor of gas oven, or about 13 minutes in electric oven. Cool on racks.
Bon Appetit

Answer 6

the only flat bread l know of that they serve in Indian restaurants is naan bread which you can get in most grocery stores in the bread section

Answer 7

I know of Pita bread.
My aunt is greek and she makes bread without yeast.
But im not 1,000% sure