Nan-e barbari

Long Persian flatbreads with deep grooves and a golden crust.

Two golden grooved barbari loaves cool on a wire rack.
Makes
2 loaves
Heat
230°C
Baking time
15–18 min

Per loaf; cook the glaze until thickened, under 1 min.

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Nan-e barbari

Makes
2 loaves
Heat
230°C
Baking time
15–18 min

Per loaf; cook the glaze until thickened, under 1 min.

Iran World collection

Nan-e barbari

Method

  1. 01 · Knead

    5–8 minutes

    Use: A

    Mix; knead until supple.

    Ready when: Soft dough

    A cook stretches soft sticky dough in a broad mixing bowl.
    01 Knead the soft doughMix and knead until the dough is soft and supple.

  2. 02 · Rise

    1 hour

    Use: Dough

    Cover in oiled bowl.

    Ready when: Nearly doubled

    The cook lifts a cloth to inspect the puffy dough in its bowl.
    02 Let the dough riseCover in an oiled bowl until nearly doubled.

  3. 03 · Divide

    30 minutes

    Use: Dough

    Deflate; form two 23 cm logs. Cover.

    Ready when: Relaxed

    The cook shapes two short dough logs on a lightly floured worktop.
    03 Divide and rest two logsShape two short logs, cover and let them relax.

  4. 04 · Glaze

    Under 1 minute

    Use: B

    Preheat oven. Stir B over heat until barely boiling and thickened.

    Ready when: Coats spoon

    From above, a cook stirs a shallow quantity of pale flour glaze in a small saucepan.
    04 Cook the flour glazeHeat the glaze mixture, stirring until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.

  5. 05 · Shape

    —

    Use: Dough; B; C

    Flatten each to 36 × 13 cm on lined tray. Press five lengthwise grooves; use half B and half C per loaf.

    Ready when: Unbroken base

    The cook presses long parallel grooves into one flat loaf; the second loaf is glazed and seeded.
    05 Press long groovesFlatten each loaf, press five lengthwise grooves, then add glaze and seeds.

  6. 06 · Bake

    15–18 minutes each

    Use: Loaves

    Bake separately on middle rack; cool.

    Ready when: Golden

    Two golden grooved barbari loaves cool on a wire rack.
    06 Bake until goldenBake the loaves separately on the middle rack and let them cool.

What to look for

StageLook / feel forNeeds attention
DoughSlight tackiness.Stiffness.

Troubleshooting

If you see thisLikely causeWhat to do nowNext time
HolesDeep grooving.Pinch closed.Do not cut through.
Runny glazeUndercooked flour.Stir over heat.Check coating.

Show ingredient flow

Recipe

Nan-e barbari

Grooved Persian flatbread.

How do I make it?

  1. Make the dough

    5–8 minutes

    Mix the dough flour, water, yeast and salt. Knead for 5–8 minutes, until the dough is soft and bends and stretches easily.

    A cook stretches soft sticky dough in a broad mixing bowl.
    Mix and knead until the dough is soft and supple.

    Ready when: Soft dough

  2. Let it rise

    1 hour

    Put the dough in an oiled bowl and cover it. Leave for 1 hour, until nearly doubled.

    The cook lifts a cloth to inspect the puffy dough in its bowl.
    Cover in an oiled bowl until nearly doubled.

    Ready when: Nearly doubled

  3. Divide and rest

    30 minutes

    Gently press out the air and shape two logs, each 23 cm long. Cover and rest for 30 minutes so they are easier to stretch.

    The cook shapes two short dough logs on a lightly floured worktop.
    Shape two short logs, cover and let them relax.

    Ready when: Relaxed

  4. Make the glaze

    Under 1 minute

    Heat the oven to 230°C. Stir the glaze flour, sugar, oil and water together over heat until just bubbling and thick enough to coat a spoon; this takes under 1 minute.

    From above, a cook stirs a shallow quantity of pale flour glaze in a small saucepan.
    Heat the glaze mixture, stirring until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.

    Ready when: Coats spoon

  5. Flatten and top

    —

    On lined trays, flatten each log into a 36 × 13 cm loaf. Press five long grooves in each without breaking through the bottom. Spread half the glaze and sprinkle half the seeds over each loaf.

    The cook presses long parallel grooves into one flat loaf; the second loaf is glazed and seeded.
    Flatten each loaf, press five lengthwise grooves, then add glaze and seeds.

    Ready when: Unbroken base

  6. Bake

    15–18 minutes each

    Bake one loaf at a time on the middle rack for 15–18 minutes, until golden. Let them cool.

    Two golden grooved barbari loaves cool on a wire rack.
    Bake the loaves separately on the middle rack and let them cool.

    Ready when: Golden

What can go wrong, and how can I fix it?

What you noticeLikely causeWhat to do
HolesDeep grooving.Pinch closed. Do not cut through.
Runny glazeUndercooked flour.Stir over heat. Check coating.

See the detailed method and ratios in , or follow ingredients through the .

Ingredient proportions & recipe details

Nan-e barbari at a glance

Makes
2 loaves
Heat
230°C
Baking time
15–18 min
Leavening
Yeast