A recipe for Lavash (Armenian Flatbread)! Flour, salt, and water are combined to form a smooth dough, rolled into thin sheets, and baked until golden.
Lavash (Լավաշ) is an Armenian Flatbread now found throughout western Asia and the Middle East. They are especially delicious warm from the oven wrapped with cheese and fresh greens or even as the base for Musakhan Wraps (Palestinian Chicken Wraps). After drying, they can also be crumbled into Khash (a winter soup).
Traditionally, this bread is baked in a clay oven called a tonir (թոնիր). I tried to make use with the closest option in the kitchen, a pizza stone in a hot oven. Preheat the oven and stone for about an hour before baking the bread to make sure it is as hot as possible. If you don’t have a pizza stone, a large baking sheet may be used in a pinch. Lightly oil the baking sheet to keep the bread from sticking. Lavash bakes quickly, so stay near the oven to keep an eye on it.
Roll and stretch the bread as thin as possible into the shape of an oval or rectangle. Lavash can be quite large, up to around 35 inches long. I was a bit limited due to the size of my pizza stone, so I rolled each piece into an oval about 14 inches long. After resting for 30 minutes, the dough should be smooth, pliable, and easy to roll without sticking. Only dust the work surface if absolutely needed.
To keep the Lavash from drying out, spray or sprinkle with water immediately after it comes out of the oven and stack together. Cover with a damp towel until ready to serve. This will help keep the bread soft and pliable. Once cooled, you can freeze the lavash in an air-tight freezer safe bag for up to one month.
Looking for more flatbread recipes?
Try Qutab (Azerbaijani Stuffed Flatbread), Kalāneh (Kurdish Scallion Bread with Brown Butter), and Chapati Za Ngozi (Kenyan Soft-Layered Chapati).
Lavash (Armenian Flatbread)
Adapted from 196 Flavors
Lavash (Armenian Flatbread)
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup warm water
Instructions
- Place a large pizza stone in the center rack of an oven and preheat to 500˚F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Stir in the water and knead to form a smooth and soft dough. If too crumbly, add a little more water. If too sticky, add a little more flour. Cover the bowl with plastic or a towel and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
- Cut the rested dough into 4 equal pieces. Place one piece on a work surface and cover the others. Roll the dough into a long oval or rectangle as thin as possible.
- Carefully transfer to the preheated stone and cook until puffed with golden spots, about 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate and lightly spray or sprinkle with water. Cover with a damp cloth and repeat with remaining pieces of dough, spraying them with water and stacking with the previously cooked lavash.
- After cooling, store in an airtight bag at room temperature or freeze for up to one month.
Wanda Reed
Of i is a baking sheet, is the oven temperature remain 500 degrees?
Tara
Hi Wanda! It will depend on the baking sheet, but most are made to withstand 500˚F temp.
Behjat Ardalan Ligon
I really believe that Lavash is an Iranian flat bread you find in every Iranian home. There are many flat breads in Iran, but Lavash is the most common bread. The name Lavash, brings back many wonderful memories for me. We spent 9 months a year in Tehran, and when school was out, we went to our summer home, where our bakers/servants made daily fresh bread for us, and sometimes, I can close my eyes and see the bread and smell the wonderful aroma.
Our baker always used either yeast, or kept a portion of dough from the day before to use as leavened agent. The dough was made in a very large ceramic container, called Lanjin, the night before, and the dough was ready at dawn for baking. The clay ovens were made in the floor of an outdoor kitchen by expert oven makers. The oven was heated by burning wood in them, at least an hour or two before baking. It was ready when there were no more flames or smoke visible. The dough was flattened on a huge flat board, transferred on a Navan, and stuck to the oven’s wall. These bread makers were experts like carpet weavers, or chefs. They had their own rolling pen and Navan, and every Lavash came out perfect. The first batch was brought to our breakfast table hot and fresh. Our baker, made at least 100 or more Lavash a day, and between our family and people who worked for us, all the Lavash was gone when dinner was over, and the whole thing was repeated all over again. Sometimes, I used to sit by her and watch her do magic, and she let me eat the first one out of the oven. She used to spread a huge cotton cloth on the floor of the kitchen and toss the Lavash on it to cool, befoe stacking them.
A lanjin is a very large ceramic container. The oven is called Tanur, and Navan is made from a flat basket with the diameter of 54 centimeters , padded with cotton, and wrapped in cotton cloth many times over. A Navan is not a Navan until it had been broken, like a pair of shoes.
I hope, we let our baker know how much she was loved and respected. She was one of a kind, but left this world many years ago, and I miss her.
Sylvia C. Kearney
I love your description of the baker making Lavash for you and your family. I’ve never been to the Middle East but your description made it almost real to me. Thank you very much for sharing.
Rita Hollander
Can I use Gluten free flour
Tara
Hi Rita! I personally have no experience working with gluten free flour, so cannot comment on results.