For Day 17 in the Bread Baker’s Apprentice Challenge, we made Lavash Crackers.
I baked the crackers, but wasn’t exactly thrilled with the outcome. Some of the pieces were a little chewy and some were crunchy. I had rolled the dough out so it would fit on my baking sheet because I didn’t want to waste the dough by snipping it off, as suggested in the book, if it hung off the sides of the pan. However, because the dough was thicker in some places and thinner in others, it didn’t bake evenly.
After doing a little research, I found out that some people and cultures prefer their lavash chewy.
“There are many different flatbreads baked throughout the easter Mediterranean, the Middle East and India–from pita or naan–but lavash is perhaps the oldest. This bread-in-various shapes and sizes, and in textures ranging from soft and pliable to crisp and crackerlike–is a staple throughout Armenia and in parts of Georgia, Iran, and Lebanon. Armenian lavash has been prepared in the same way for thousands of years: Long sheets of dough are stretched and baked in a clay oven similar to an Indian tandoor. The nomadic peoples crisscrossing Asia knew a good thing when they saw it: A filled and rolled-up lavash sandwich might be the ultimate in picnic fare (easily transportable, its food, eating utensil, and container all in one). Lavash is also delicious served with stews such as Morrocan tagine or an Indian curry, or with a favorite dip.”
—The Lowdown on Lavash, Jane Daniels, Gourmet, Sept. 1997 (p. 157)Source: www.foodtimeline.org/foodbreads.html#flatbreads
I think I prefer crispy over chewy for crackers. However, for pitas (which is another option for this dough) the chewiness would work well.
My oldest son didn’t like the chewy ones either. In fact, when he tried the crackers, he said “I believe these are a fail.” Well, hmmm…that just wouldn’t do.
Fast forward to the next day…
After letting the crackers sit on my counter in a covered basket for a day, I decided to rebake them. I baked the pieces until all of them were crispy. When I tried them again, I actually enjoyed them and so did my taste tester (my friend not my son). So as with all breads, enjoying Lavish is a matter of preference. You’ll just have to experiment to determine your preference.
Happy Baking!
Cathy
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