This week, I got my usual copy of Saveur magazine, which I adore.

There was a recipe for this variation on naan that is eaten in Xinjiang, China.

I thought the recipe seemed easy yet interesting, with the wheat germ and pastry flour.  So I jumped right in.  And you can too!  The recipe really is easy.

I won’t write out the ingredients because you can see them above.

1. First, mix together the yeast, sugar and water in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Let rise until foamy, about 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes have elapsed, add the flour, wheat germ, peanut oil, salt and butter.
2. Using a paddle attachment, mix the dough together on low, then switch to a bread hook and knead for about six minutes.
3. Cover the bowl with a cloth and let rise for one hour.
4. Punch down the dough and cut into quarters.  Cover with a towel and let rest for 30 minutes.  Preheat the oven with a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet at 500 degrees F.
5. Use a rolling pin to roll out your dough very flat.  Cover and let rest another 30 minutes.
6. When it’s time for the dough to go in the oven, prick each dough with a fork and lightly rub the dough with water.  Sprinkle sesame seeds, coarse or kosher salt, and fresh cracked black pepper.
7. Slide the dough onto the pizza stone for about 5-7 minutes.  The recipe says 3 minutes, but that was nowhere near enough time.  You can see how my dough looks after three minutes:
8. The bread did much better with longer cooking time:

I love the crunchy bits and the big bubbles.  However, like naan, it’s not supposed to be eaten by itself but as a means to eat other things like rice and meats.

It’s always nice to try new styles of baking, and I enjoyed making this flatbread.