This Snowshoe Naan is a hearty, vegan-friendly whole wheat bread that brings authentic Indian flavor to your table without the fuss. Using a simple sponge method, the dough develops a rich, complex flavor and a satisfyingly chewy texture. The unique “snowshoe” technique involves dimpling the dough with wet fingers before stretching, creating a beautiful pitted surface that crisps up beautifully on a hot baking stone. These flatbreads are perfect for scooping up curries, dips, or simply enjoying warm with a drizzle of oil. They pair wonderfully with any meal and are an excellent way to use up whole wheat flour for a healthier bread option.
Snowshoe Naan
Description
This Snowshoe Naan is a hearty, vegan-friendly whole wheat bread that brings authentic Indian flavor to your table without the fuss. Using a simple sponge method, the dough develops a rich, complex flavor and a satisfyingly chewy texture. The unique "snowshoe" technique involves dimpling the dough with wet fingers before stretching, creating a beautiful pitted surface that crisps up beautifully on a hot baking stone. These flatbreads are perfect for scooping up curries, dips, or simply enjoying warm with a drizzle of oil. They pair wonderfully with any meal and are an excellent way to use up whole wheat flour for a healthier bread option.Ingredients
Directions
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Place warm water in a large bowl, add yeast, and stir to dissolve.
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Add whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour, then stir well.
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Stir the mixture vigorously in the same direction for 100 times (about one minute) to develop gluten.
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Cover the bowl and let the sponge stand for 30 minutes to 3 hours.
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Sprinkle salt over the sponge, then add another cup of all-purpose flour and stir.
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Continue adding remaining flour and stirring until the dough is stiff and you can stir no longer.
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Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead thoroughly for about 10 minutes until smooth.
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Lightly oil the clean bowl, return dough to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 2 to 3 hours until doubled.
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Punch down dough, turn out onto floured surface, and divide into eight equal pieces.
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Shape each piece into a flat oval, approximately 4 inches wide by 8 inches long.
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Cover the shaped doughs with plastic wrap and let rise for approximately 20 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232&# 194;°C) with a baking stone or quarry tiles on the lower rack.
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Dip fingertips in cold water and make tightly spaced indentations all over the surface of each dough disk.
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Gently stretch the dimpled dough into a long oval about 12 inches long.
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Sprinkle a pinch of nigella seeds on the dough and place directly on the hot baking stone.
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Bake for approximately 4 minutes until golden patches appear on top and bottom is crusty brown.
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Remove baked naan and wrap in a cotton cloth to keep warm and soft.
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Repeat process with remaining dough pieces, baking two at a time if space allows.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 310.7kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 2.3g4%
- Saturated Fat 0.4g2%
- Cholesterol 0.0mg0%
- Sodium 13.2mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 65.7g22%
- Dietary Fiber 9.1g37%
- Sugars 0.5g
- Protein 11.8g24%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Use unglazed quarry tiles or a baking stone for best results. Place the stone on the lower third of the oven rack, leaving space for air circulation.
The "snowshoe" name comes from the pitted texture created by wet fingers, which stretches into attractive marks during baking.
Develop a rhythm to bake two breads side by side, one going in when the other is half done, for efficiency.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Wrap in a cotton cloth five minutes after baking to retain softness.
If you do not have nigella seeds, you can omit them or substitute with sesame seeds or poppy seeds.
