Nān-e Lavāsh [Thin Flatbread | vegan]

Classic Thin Flatbread | vegan

Region: Pan-Iranian Classic

🍳 From the Test Kitchen > This recipe is a work in progress. While the foundation is solid, the exact ingredient ratios and timing haven't passed my final quality checks just yet. I’m sharing this early draft exclusively with subscribers so you can see what I'm working on. Feel free to experiment, adjust to your own taste, and add comments at the bottom of the recipe!

Nān-e Lavāsh is a ubiquitous, paper-thin flatbread central to Iranian cuisine and enjoyed widely across the Caucasus, Western, and Central Asia. The origins of this ancient bread are deeply rooted in the high-altitude, cold-climate provinces of the Azerbaijani Northwest, where resourcefulness dictated a bread that required minimal fuel and baked in seconds. Its defining characteristic is a soft, pliable texture that makes it the perfect vessel for wrapping around fresh herbs, cheese, or kebabs.

Traditionally, bakers stretch the unleavened or lightly leavened dough tightly over a convex cushion and slap it directly against the scorching walls of a clay oven (tanūr). However, this version is specifically adapted for the home kitchen using a cast-iron skillet or a baking stone. The dough itself is incredibly simple, relying on a brief, high-temperature bake to achieve its signature blistered puff and soft, flexible fold.

Serves: 8-10 (makes 8-10 flatbreads)
Preparation time: 20 minutes (plus 1 to 1 ½ hours rising time)
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes