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This recipe is heavily modified from a couple of different sources. I was looking for something that would be really versatile whether I was serving Indian or Mediterranean. I use the exact same recipe if it’s naan or a pita. The difference is for naan I brush it with ghee and sprinkle it with garlic powder. It sounds nuts, but don’t knock it until you try it!

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Ingredients

  • 2 tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 1 tsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup atta or whole wheat flour
  • 2 1/4 cups AP flour
  • 1 tsp kosher or pink salt
  • 2.5 tbsp olive oil flavored is really good here. Try herb or basil!
  • 2 tsp garlic powder if making naan
  • 2 tbsp ghee if making naan

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and water. Mix until they dissolve.
  • Put the bowl in a warm place for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture gets foamy looking on top.
  • Add the oil and the salt and incorporate them.
  • Using a dough whisk or a silicon spatula, mix in the flour in batches, until it starts to form together.
  • Dust your counter with flour and tip the dough out. Knead for two minutes, adding more water in tiny increments if it seems too dry. You want the dough to be soft and pliable, but not wet. You could also add some of the garlic powder at this stage if you really like garlic.
  • Cover with a damp towel and let it rest for 10 minutes. Just when it thinks you're done, come back and knead it for three more minutes.
  • Return the dough back to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and cover THAT with a dry towel.
  • Put the bowl in a warm place for an hour, or until the dough is doubled.
  • My house is very cold, so I put my dough on a kitchen chair in front of a space heater. I monitor its progress and turn the bowl every now and then.
  • When the hour nearly up, place a large non-stick pan or cast iron in the cold oven with enough room to pull the rack in and out.
  • Preheat your oven to 475F.
  • Bring out the dough, punch it down, and divide it into 8 pieces. Form those into balls and allow them to rest covered with a damp towel for 10 minutes.
  • Roll each dough ball into the closest thing to a circle that you can make it.
  • If making naan, brush one side with ghee, and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder if you want it.
  • It making pita, do nothing.
  • Open the oven and carefully place your almost-circle on the hot pan. Keep and eye on it, how long it takes to cook will depend on how thin you made them. They will start to puff and then you can you can flip it CAREFULLY with tongs. Allow to cook for one more minute then remove. Repeat until all the dough is cooked.