We never heard the word lavash outside Armenian circles until just a few years ago.
Now, it pops up everywhere from supermarket aisles to fast-food menus — and it can have very different meanings.
Traditional Armenian cracker bread, crisp to the bite and mottled with brown bubbles, is a true staple that could sustain a traveler on a long journey or a family through an even longer winter. It seems to keep forever, and can be savored as is or softened with a drizzle of water or oil.
Yet somehow in America, it has shrunken and morphed into a mere appetizer, often with the texture of vinyl floor tiles. Equally odd is what’s happened to the delicate, flaky soft version that Armenians not only eat with their meals but eat their meals with — the perfect edible utensil that can be used to pick up meats or sop up stews.
But if most Americans recognize the word lavash at all, they picture a sandwich wrap that seems more closely related to a wheat tortilla, and most likely is just that.
Luckily, we know and love yet another version of lavash that is uncorrupted by commercial success. In fact, even most Armenians aren’t aware of it.
This lavash combines the best of both traditional styles: Crisp and bubbled on top, soft and flaky in the middle. Be warned: It’s rich, buttery — and addictive.
It’s also something of a family treasure, handed down by Doug’s mother who learned it from her clan’s master chef, Aunt Baidzar Doramajian.
We’d hate to see it turned into some sort of snack cracker, or worse. So please, let’s keep this between us!
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These recipes are like the ones I grew up with...do you have one for kufta...bulgar outside and meat and onions, etc inside?
Carol Bear
I tried this recipe. The lavash in Armenia is different though.
I do not see a recipe for Khash (cow hoof broth). We ate that with dried lavash put into the hot broth, at the Aragat summit restaurant.
Ah, yes... Khash. As soon as we can find the necessary ingredients and the weather cools down (in So. Florida), we intend to give khash a try...with lavash, of course!
I make a version my grandma used to make that uses yeast and you let rise and then roll it out and cook it.
Rob, are willing to share your grandmother's recipe? If so, please email it to: robyn@thearmeniankitchen.com. Thanks!
Hello,
Could you please clarify the folding part. What is it for?
Thanks
Diana
The folding and re-rolling creates somewhat flaky layers.
What could I use instead of an egg wash?
You can use milk, cream, melted butter, oil, or water to glaze the dough, however, none of these will provide the shine that an egg wash does.
Lavash can be a soft flatbread, but Jessamyn Waldman developed this recipe based on Armenian-style lavash, which is very crisp and dusted with seeds or spices.
This type of flaky, folded flat bread was known in my grandmother's house as saji hatz, not lavash.
Can you cook this on the griddle?
This version cannot be made on a griddle, however the recipe in this link can be made on the stove top: http://thearmeniankitchen.com/2015/08/homemade-stovetop-lavash.html