Iraqi Laffa Bread
Enjoy making this soft, pliable, and perfectly blistered traditional Iraqi flatbread right in your own home kitchen.
Ingredients
- •3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- •1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- •1 teaspoon sugar
- •1 1/4 cups warm water (300ml)
- •1 teaspoon salt
- •2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, combine the warm water, sugar, and active dry yeast, then let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour and the salt.
- 3
Pour the yeast mixture and the olive oil into the dry ingredients, mixing with a wooden spoon or your hands until a sticky dough forms.
- 4
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it vigorously for about 8 to 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- 5
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
- 6
Punch down the risen dough and divide it into 6 equal portions, rolling each portion into a smooth ball.
- 7
Cover the dough balls with a towel and let them rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
- 8
Preheat your oven to its highest setting (around 500°F or 260°C) with a heavy baking sheet or pizza stone placed inside.
- 9
On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll each dough ball out into a very thin, large round or oval shape.
- 10
Carefully transfer the rolled-out dough onto the hot baking sheet or stone in the oven.
- 11
Bake for 3 to 5 minutes until the bread puffs up nicely and develops light brown charred spots on top.
- 12
Remove the baked laffa from the oven and immediately wrap it in a clean kitchen towel to keep it soft and pliable.
💡 Chef tips
- Make-ahead tip: You can roll out the dough circles and stack them with pieces of parchment paper in between, then store them in the fridge for up to a day before baking.
- Storage: Store leftover laffa bread in an airtight plastic bag at room temperature for up to two days, or freeze them for up to a month and reheat on a hot skillet.
- Baking alternative: If you do not want to use an oven, you can cook the laffa in a very hot, dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes per side.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished laffa bread should be delightfully soft, slightly chewy, and speckled with golden-brown charred spots, boasting a comforting aroma of freshly baked yeast bread.