Naane Uzbeki

There are mainly three types of Afghan bread:

• Naan - Literally “bread”
• Lavash - Very thin bread 
• Naane Uzbeki

Uzbek-style bread is shaped like a disc and thicker than naan. Usually made with white flour.

Prep time: 3 hours 10 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3 Cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon oil or fat from sheep’s tail or rendered chicken fat
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
• 2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fried onions or shallots

Directions

1. Mix flour, dry yeast, sugar, and salt in a bowl and gradually add one cup and two tablespoons warm water. Make a ball and leave that in the bowl, and cover with a thick cloth and allow to rise until double in bulk; this can take about two hours.
2. Heat oven to 500 degrees F, and put parchment paper or aluminum foil on two baking sheets.
3. Divide dough in half, roll each half, one at a time, on a cold towel to make a nine-inch circle. Cover with heavy cloth and let rise until it doubles again, about fifty minutes.
4. Uncover, leaving one-inch sides, punch down the center, or make a hole and gently shape it doughnut-like. Repeat with other half of the dough. Brush foil or parchment and the dough with fat. Sprinkle sesame seeds and minced onion pieces on the top of each piece of dough. Put on the oiled baking sheet.
5. Put ten ice cubes, or a very wet towel bunched up in a ball in a pan, on the floor or lower shelf of the oven. Put the baking sheet into the oven and bake the dough for eight minutes. Then remove the towel (use tongs), brush tops with a little more oil, and bake another seven minutes or until crisp and nicely colored. Do not over bake. Cool and serve.