Paleo Flatbread

I've cracked the code on paleo naan! This grain-free flatbread is soft and chewy just like its gluten-laden counterparts, and thanks to the yeast, its flavor is really authentic. I'm actually a little bit worried about having figured out this recipe, because I now want it with every single meal. It's going to take a lot of restraint to not just eat this instead of vegetables!

I'd never considered making a yeasted paleo flatbread before, partly because yeast can be time-consuming and partly because I had heard that gluten-free doughs don't rise as well. And while that may be true, I was pretty excited about how well this dough rose (see the photos near the end of the post for evidence). Also, since this bread just needs one quick, 45-minute rise, it's not totally insane to make on a weeknight.

I got the idea for this bread when I saw Heather's perfect paleo flatbread recipe on Cook It Up Paleo. Her recipe calls for yeast, but doesn't have you wait for the dough to rise. I couldn't try her recipe as-is because it calls for coconut flour (I'm allergic to coconut), so I decided to play around with it a bit.

Garlic Naan

Homemade naan is SO delicious, and it's not hard to make.  I think this naan is even better than what I get at my favorite Indian restaurant--it's an irresistible accompaniment to almost anything.  Kneading and rolling the dough is actually really fun; it only needs to rise for 45 minutes, so it's a totally viable weeknight dinner option.  Plus, you won't even have to turn on your oven!

Garlic naan is my favorite, but if you prefer plain naan, you can just omit the garlic and cilantro.  It will still be amazing.  I was all excited to use cilantro, but found that my bunch had totally frozen in the fridge and looked really sad.  I guess my fridge is too cold!

Ingredients (adapted from Budget Bytes; makes 8 pieces):

2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt (I used 2%)
1 teaspoon garlic paste (optional)
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2-3 cups flour, divided, plus extra
10 or so cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Butter or ghee for cooking and serving

In a small bowl, mix the yeast, sugar, and warm water until the yeast dissolves.  Let the mixture sit for a few minutes until it foams up.  Stir in the oil, yogurt, garlic paste, and egg.

In a medium bowl, mix the salt with one cup of the flour.  Add the wet ingredients and stir until well mixed.  Add more flour 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition, until you can no longer stir the dough with a spoon.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface.  Start kneading the dough, adding flour as needed to keep it from sticking.  Knead for about three minutes, until the dough is soft and smooth but not sticky.

Let the dough rest, lightly covered with a kitchen towel, for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Flatten the dough a little, and cut it into eight wedges.  Pick up each wedge and stretch the dough from the top around to the bottom a few times to create a ball.

Heat a little butter or ghee in a cast iron skillet over medium heat.

Dip each side of the dough ball in the minced garlic and cilantro, then roll it out until it's about six inches in diameter.

Place the naan in the hot skillet, and cook on the first side until large bubbles appear on the surface and the bottom is golden brown.  Flip the naan and cook until golden on the other side.

Serve topped with a little more butter or ghee and accompanied by your favorite curry.