Garlic naan

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Roll out to the size of a pitta bread

Divided into four

Forget the take-away, make it yourself from now on.

Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon dried yeast
• 250 g (9 oz) strong white flour
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. I prefer to use garlic olive oil.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons of natural yogurt
• 100 ml water

Method

1. Knead the dough by combining all the ingredients (apart from the chopped garlic) and sufficient water, this will be roughly ¾ cup.
2. Wrap the dough in a damp muslin cloth and leave it to rise for 2-3 hours.
3. Pre-heat an oven tray under your grill on it's very highest heat
4. Divide the dough into 4 small balls.
5. With a rolling pin or by slapping and stretching with your hands, roll out the balls so they are about the size of a pitta bread.
6. Unlike some breads, you don't need to let these prove, straight to the oven they go.
7. Sprinkle the chopped garlic onto both sides of the naans
8. Brush a little vegetable oil on to the hot tray, slap the naans on to the tray and grill for about 2 minutes a side, watching it like a hawk! The difference between perfect naan breads and a brown biscuit is about 30 seconds.
9. They should have a crunch on the outside and a soft spongy inside.

Serving suggestions

Serve hot, brushed with melted butter.

Using a bread maker

If you have a breadmaker, tip all of the ingredients into it apart from the chopped garlic, set it on a long (2:20) dough setting and start at step 3 above. It could not be easier.

Variations

Experiment with various flours. The seedy naans shown were made with Allinson seed and grain bread flour instead of plain flour, and they were wonderful. You could of course, just add a handful of mixed grain (barley flakes, kibbled rye, sunflower seeds, millet and linseed) to normal flour.

Chef's tip

Use a pizza stone if you have one for even better results.