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Nan-e barbari
نان بربری · Thick grooved flatbread with a roomal glaze, sesame and nigella
Barbari is Tehran and Tabriz's breakfast bread: a long, thick oval with deep lengthwise grooves, its top glazed golden-brown and scattered with sesame and nigella. Bakeries sell it hot from early morning, and it goes home to be torn and eaten with feta, walnuts, herbs, butter and jam or a glass of sweet tea. Its secret is the roomal, a quick paste of flour, baking soda and water brushed on before baking, which gives the shiny, crackly crust. The usual mistake is pressing the grooves too shallow, so they puff out in the oven and the bread loses its shape. Chef's tip: press your fingertips right down to the work surface when making the grooves, and don't worry if it looks too flat; it rises in the oven.
- Total time
- 175 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
For the roomal and topping
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix the 1 ⅛ lb strong white bread flour, ¼ oz instant dried yeast, 1 tsp sugar and 1 ½ tsp salt. Add the 1 ½ cups warm water and 1 tbsp vegetable oil and knead for 10 minutes, until smooth, soft and elastic. Cover and leave for 1–1½ hours, until doubled.
90 minStep 2: For the roomal, whisk the 1 tbsp plain flour, ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda and ½ cup water in a small pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat, whisking. Simmer 1 minute until slightly thickened and glossy, then cool.
4 minStep 3: Put a baking stone or heavy tray in the oven and heat it to 450°F (400°F fan) for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 4: Divide the dough in half. On a floured sheet of baking paper, pat each piece into an oval about 35 × 15 cm. Rest for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 5: Brush the dough generously with the cooled roomal. Press your fingertips down to the paper to make 5–6 long grooves along its length, leaving a 2 cm border. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp sesame seeds and 1 tsp nigella seeds.
5 minStep 6: Slide the bread on its paper onto the hot stone. Bake for 15–18 minutes, until deep golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath.
18 minStep 7: Cool for 10 minutes on a rack and eat warm, or wrap well and freeze for up to a month.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 64 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nan-e barbari take?
- About 175 minutes in total: 150 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of strong white bread flour?
- Plain flour, same amount (the dough will be softer and rise a little less).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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