Taftoon - Persian Wholemeal Flat Bread

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• oil (for handling dough)

Directions

1. 1

   Sift the flours into a large mixing bowl.

2. 2

   Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup of the warm water; add 1 1/2 cups of the remaining water and the salt.

3. 3

   Pour the yeast mixture into the center of the flour and gradually work in.

4. 4

   Beat with your hands for 20-30 minutes, or use the dough hook on an electric mixer and beat for 20 minutes, gradually adding in as much of the remaining 3/4 cup water as the dough will take (as the dough is beaten it will be able to take a little more water).

5. 5

   Preheat oven to high (around 450 degrees F or more), and place a griddle on the center shelf to preheat for 10-15 minutes; when hot, lightly oil with a small cloth dipped in oil.

6. 6

   Turn the dough out onto an oiled board (no need to proof the dough); oil your hands and divide the dough into 6 parts, rolling each piece into a ball.

7. 7

   Roll out each ball as thinly as possible with an oiled rolling pin and prick all over with a fork or pinwheel, in 3-4 vertical lines across the surface.

8. 8

   Take the round of dough and stretch it a little across the backs of your hands, and place dough on the smooth side of a cushion or pad.

9. 9

   Pull the rack out where the heated griddle is on, and turn the cushion over and press down onto it.

10. 10

    Close the oven and cook 1 minute, then pat down dough to prevent bread from puffing up.

11. 11

    Bake until surface is bubbly (about 3 minutes), then turn bread over and cook 2 minutes more.

12. 12

    Remove bread from oven and wrap in a towel.

13. 13

    Allow oven temperature to reheat before starting another.

14. 14

    Do not allow rolled dough to rest before baking; prepare just before putting in oven.