Most people (including those who are exhausting themselves with diets) have great difficulty doing without bread. Some people don’t even eat watermelon without it, while others consume pasta with bread. Like any other dish, a variety of rolls have their own unique taste, and a lover of rye bread will not always understand a fan of wheat. But with regard to pita bread, almost everyone who does not refuse flour products is in solidarity: this is a thing that should be used at least occasionally.
Lavash: Whose is it?
Until now, there is no consensus on the cuisine of which people this “auxiliary” dish belongs to, without which you often cannot even build the main one. Georgia, Armenia, and Turkey apply for authorship; Azerbaijanis and Tatars join them; pita bread was baked even in Persia, already a thing of the past, which has now become one of the regions of Iran.
However, for the modern Russian unhistorical lavash, rather, it is still Armenian bread. Yes, and the most common translation of the name is usually made from Old Armenian, where it meant "good food."
Pita breads are different ...
True, some confuse two different breads, which, although presented to the world by one people, are still different from each other: pita bread and matnakash. Both cakes are usually called pita bread by our people; but if you follow the terminology, this name is thin wheat “pancake”, usually oval in shape and about a meter long. At the same time, real Armenian lavash is without yeast and other additional ingredients.
A magnificent option, although it is based on wheat, but traditionally combines flour of several varieties, the dough is yeast on it, and the crust should be pronounced. But the main difference is that pita bread dries quickly and in a "dried" form retains edibility for a very, very long time. Matnakash is similar to the usual varieties of bread and pretty stale.
Right pita bread
If you are going to cook Armenian pita bread at home, keep in mind that the original recipe includes almost only flour and water. Even salt is considered superfluous, since “bread” should emphasize, and not distort, the taste of the main course. Yeast, eggs, milk (kefir, whey - anything milk) will also be unnecessary when baking. Traditionally, sourdough should also be present. Usually, a small remainder of the previous test acted in its quality. For lack of a classic open oven, where cakes should be baked, you can cook Armenian pita bread in the oven or in a dry frying pan. The latter method is recommended as more successful - in the oven, it turns out most often too overdried.
Cooking rules
Of the products, a glass of water, a pound of flour, yeast - 20 g live or 8 g dry are useful. Although the original dough is yeast-free, Armenian lavash is cooked at home with them. Soak yeast in a quarter of all water and leave to swell. Then the rest of the water is added (salt), flour is sifted into the bowl and the dough is kneaded. It is divided into several pieces (usually 5 or 6), rolls into balls, which must be kept warm to make the dough rise. Then the lumps roll very thinly. The resulting cake should almost be visible. Each is quickly (in about 15 seconds) fried in a hot skillet. Do not fry longer - dry! It remains only to shift the "bread" with wet wipes and figure out what to wrap in them.
Suitable for any table
Bread in any culinary culture is a companion dish. Armenian lavash is no exception . A filling recipe , whatever it is, usually involves wrapping it in a tortilla. Eating is both more convenient and tastier. "Insides" can be anything. But the most democratic Armenian pita bread with cheese - it harmonizes with almost any other dish, and can also be independent.
For the filling, you can take cottage cheese, or you can use some kind of soft cheese. Both that, and another is mixed up with the crushed greens. Its composition can be varied to your taste: cilantro, dill, green onions, parsley, celery, garlic and even mint. The filling is spread on pita bread, which is then curled in a straw and put into the refrigerator. Before use, the resulting roll is cut into convenient pieces.
Barbecue option
As you know, vegetables are best suited for meat. Armenian pita bread will not be out of place here. At home, it can be successfully combined with almost any vegetables. One of the “cutest” fillings is cucumber. If fresh cucumbers, cut into small cubes, mixed with chopped boiled egg and green onions, salt and add sour cream - the filling will be just delicious. They put it on pita bread and roll the last sausage.
You can stuff Armenian lavash a little differently. A recipe filled with cucumbers takes on a different taste if you combine the main ingredient with finely chopped bell pepper, grated cheese and crushed garlic. It turns out less like a salad with bread, but rather spicy - just what you need for a barbecue.
Instead of breakfast
Cooking in the morning is not enough joy. But the morning meal, according to doctors and ancient sages, is the main one. And here comes home Armenian lavash to the rescue. Thanks to him, you can get a fully-fledged (and, moreover, very tasty, and also quickly eaten) breakfast. For 3 pita bread in the evening, buy chicken breast (four pieces), take 4 eggs and 300 g of cheese from the refrigerator (the easiest one will do), a tube of mayonnaise and greens. Breasts and eggs are boiled, meat is disassembled into fiber. Cheese and eggs are individually rubbed. The greens are finely chopped and combined with eggs. Next is the most interesting. A baking sheet or table is covered with foil, the first pita is placed on it. It is smeared with mayonnaise, on which chicken fibers are placed. On top is again a lavash spread with mayonnaise, and on it is an egg-green mixture. Again, the same mayonnaise cake on which cheese is laid out. All this is folded into a tube and wrapped tightly in foil. We hide the roll in the refrigerator: just in the morning the layers will be saturated with each other, and for breakfast you will find an unforgettable dish.
And in sweet dishes he has a place!
Nevertheless, it is universal - Armenian lavash! At home, it is easy to organize with his participation a wonderful dessert for children. 400-500 g of cottage cheese, 50 g of butter (it will have to be preliminarily softened, but not melted), 7 spoons of sugar, 2 eggs, eight nectarines (peaches can also be, but choose slightly immature ones), breading, vegetable oil (only for lubrication), thick cream (150 ml), chocolate sauce (optional) and sprigs of mint for decoration (only if your children are not opposed to this plant).
Soft butter, cottage cheese, half sugar and an egg are beaten - at least with a blender, at least with a mixer, although with an ordinary whisk, but thoroughly. 3 prepared nectarines are finely cut, put into a mixture, which is then mixed. The form is lined with parchment, greased with vegetable oil, sprinkled with breading. Pita bread is laid on the table, the filling is laid out on it, the cake is folded first by a tube, which is then twisted into a spiral. This should be done quickly so that the Armenian bread is not soft and does not begin to tear. Then the “sauce” is prepared: the cream is whipped with the rest of the sugar and the egg. 2/3 are poured on a pie, which you need to chop a little. “Unreached” nectarines are cut in half, beautifully laid out on the surface, the rest of the pouring spills from above. For greater beauty, you can cut the pie with a fan. In the oven, this luxury should stay for about twenty minutes, after which it is doused with chocolate sauce on top. Believe me, no child can resist such a yummy!