Authentic Turkish Lavas Puff Bread (Lavaş Ekmeği)
If you’ve eaten at a real Turkish kebab house or ocakbaşı (meaning “fireside restaurant”), you’re sure to have sampled this classic puff bread from southeastern Turkey. So, you can use this recipe to bake authentic Turkish lavaş (lah-VAHSH) at home. It’s not only delicious, but it’s also a lot of fun and makes a great conversation piece.
Lavaş, sometimes called “balloon bread”, is thin and crispy. Moreover, it puffs up high as it cooks. It’s served piping hot, with a hollow centre full of steam, as an appetizer before kebab meals. You’ll often find it accompanied by Turkish Tulum goat cheese, chunks of unsalted village butter, and a spicy tomato and pepper crush called ezme). Thus, you will love to prepare this delicious bread at your own home.
Ingredients for Lavas Bread
- 2 1/2 teaspoons yeast (active dry)
- 1 1/4 cups water (warm)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter (or margarine)
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- Garnish: sesame seeds
- Garnish: nigella seeds
How to Make Lavas Bread at Home?
1- First, In a large bowl, stir the dry yeast and warm water until the yeast is dissolved.
2- Add the sugar and stir again until it has dissolved. Set the yeast mixture aside in a warm place to let it develop. You’ll know it’s ready when you see bubbles on the surface.
6- Grease the inside of a deep bowl with a little olive oil, place the dough inside and cover with plastic wrap.
8- Oil the bowl again and add the dough, this time letting it rise for about 2 hours. The dough should double in size.
Other Steps To Make Lavas Bread Easily
11- Form the pieces into balls and cover them with plastic wrap and let them rise on the floured surface for 15 minutes.
14- Sprinkle sesame and nigella seeds onto the dough and roll it in with the rolling pin with one last stroke.
16- Bake for about 8 minutes until the centres puff up high and they begin to brown. If you have time, bake them one by one in the very centre of the oven for the best puff-up results.
