Tashkent Non Uzbeki Bread Recipes

UZBEK FLATBREAD - OBI NON

Steps:

• Add about 1/2 cup of lukewarm water , sugar, yeast and mix everything together. Let the yeast bloom.
• If the yeast does not bloom after 10 minutes, discard and start again.
• Once the yeast mixture has bloomed, in a big bowl or your stand mixer, add in the whole wheat flour, salt, yeast mixture and mix everything.
• Knead the dough by adding water slowly. You should require a total of 1 cup , plus a bit more or less depending on the flour. Knead the dough until it is springy and forms a smooth elastic ball.
• Cover and keep it aside for at least an hour and half or until double in size.
• Once the dough has double in size, punch the air out of the dough and knead it for a minute.
• Divide the dough into equal size portions. I was able to make 6.
• Roll each dough into circular ball first, then flatten it using your palm, to form a disc. Then using your thumb, make a wide deep indentation in the center of the dough.
• Be careful not to poke a hole just an indentation, so that it is thicker on the sides and thinner in the center.
• Repeat the above steps for the remaining dough balls, and cover and rest them on a pizza tray for 25-30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200 C. Just before baking make patterns/indentation in the center with the help of a fork.
• Brush milk on all the dough balls and sprinkle with sesame or onion seeds. Very lightly dab them, so that they stick to them. Be careful not to deflate them.
• Bake them in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Keep an eye on the bread after 12-15 minutes. The bread should be golden brown and should sound hollow.
• Once baked apply some butter on all the Non's and let it cool on a wire rack.
• Enjoy this delicious bread with a bowl of soup.

UZBEK LEPYOSHKI

Steps:

• In a large bowl place the sour cream, sugar, salt and yeast.
• In a saucepan on the stovetop warm the milk, water and butter. The mixture should be very warm, NOT hot. If you keep it on the stove top too long, just let it cool a bit.
• Remove milk mixture from heat and pour into the bowl. Mix everything.
• As you are mixing (with your hand or the mixer), slowly keep adding the flour.
• Once flour is combined, form dough into a ball. Lightly flatten and cover with a lid and then a few kitchen towels to keep the dough warm. (I place foil over a bowl then the towels so the towels don't fall into the bowl.) Let rise about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.
• GENTLY divide dough into four. Form dough into ball-like shapes.
• Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
• On a lightly floured surface, GENTLY start pressing down into the center of the dough and pull edges out. Keep doing this until the dough is stretched to about 7"-8" in diameter. The center of the dough should be flattened and but not the edges. If you leave the dough at about 7" in diameter or a little less, the lepyoshki will be taller. If you prefer the lepyoshki flatter make them longer in diameter. You should be able to fit 2 lepyoshki onto a large baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough. (I sometimes make 6 small llepyoshki and kids really enjoy them. If making six small ones, three should fit on a baking sheet. Using two large baking sheets, bake all lepyoshki at ones).
• Beat egg yolk and milk for the glaze.
• With a pastry brush, apply the glaze to the tops and sides of the lepyoshki.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds or poppy seeds in the middle of the lepyoshki. Let rest and rise until they about double in size, about 30-45 minutes.
• Bake at 365°F for about 35-40 minutes. The lepyoshki should be a nice golden color and hard to the touch. Once they have cooled they will soften.

TASHKENT NON (UZBEKI BREAD)

Steps:

• Dissolve the yeast in the water.
• Add the flours and salt to make a soft dough.
• Turn out and knead until it's smooth, but still a little sticky.
• Let rise in a warm place for two hours, or until doubled.
• Turn out and divide into 4 pieces.
• Form each pieace into a flattened round. Press in the center section of each round - you don't want it to rise as much.
• Let rest, covered, on a lightly floured surface for about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450 or 475 deg - if you have a pizza stone or quarry tiles, use those, otherwise use a cookie sheet.
• Press down the center of each round again, and then press in a chekich, if you happen to have one, or prick the center area with a fork - the chekich makes a nice pattern - star shapes etc. - so why not use your fork to make a nice pattern, too? Do this just before putting into the oven, so if your oven will not hold all four loaves at once, hold off on the ones that are staying on the counter.
• Lightly brush the loaf with milk, oil or melted lard and sprinkle with nigella or sesame seeds.
• Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Best eaten hot or within a day or so.