MANILA, Philippines — Breads are interesting. They differ from one country to another, and yet when you put them all together, people of different nations enjoy each other’s native breads.
In the Philippines, we have Pandesal, which literally translates to “bread with salt,” and we’re most accustomed to our local breads such as Pan de Coco, Tasty (loaf bread), Putok, Kababayan and Pan de Red, but we also enjoy eating French bread (Baguette), Ciabatta, Focaccia, Sourdough, Croissant, and more.
We are also “discovering” the delicious wonders of other foreign breads, such as Pita, Tortilla, Indian Roti or Chapati, and Vietnamese Bánh Mì.
Now, let’s get to learn how to bake a flatbread called Lavash from a recipe of The Maya Kitchen. Lavash is a crisp and brittle, really thin flatbread that can be baked plain or sprinkled with toasted sesame or poppy seeds.
It is normally eaten on its own or can be accompanied by a dip. It is soft and pliable, but hardens and turns into a brittle cracker bread when it dries out, which is how other people prefer it. After all, its name means “cracker bread.”
Lavash
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups Maya All-Purpose Flour, plus more as needed for kneading
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup milk
1 egg white
30 grams olive oil
Egg whites, beaten, as needed
White sesame seeds, as needed
Poppy seeds, as needed
Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F/205°C.
2. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt.
3. Add water, milk, egg white and olive oil. Knead until a smooth dough is formed.
4. Divide into two equal portions and roll out on a surface until paper thin. Sprinkle flour on work surface to prevent the dough from sticking.
5. Place on ungreased baking trays and brush with beaten egg whites. Sprinkle with sesame and poppy seeds before baking in preheated oven for 10 to 13 minutes or until browned.
*Yields 2 flat breads.
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