Easy Naan Bread During Difficult Times

My hands have made a great deal of bread. They kneaded a variety of flour, rolled various pastry dough, and smelled disgustingly sour from starter. But they’ve never encountered a situation like today, being in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.

One of the amazing things about being in France during this time is this: boulangerie are considered essential thus remain open.

Yes the French know about good food and wine. About spending an evening eating slowly and conversing with friends and family. They know the importance of bread and take it very seriously.

Good bread enamors me and living in Bordeaux makes it easy to explore. Baguettes are everywhere in France although I’m not your standard baguette gal unless it’s a Baguette “complet” from La P’tite Boulangerie Notre-Dame. This Baguette excites me. And remember, tear a piece off do not cut into your personal baguette!

To stand next to the entrance of a boulangerie waiting for the current customer to make her or his decision is no problem. Taking in the amazing aromas of bread. Really no problem at all, I can wait. (Now days only a person or two can enter at one time so as to keep a safe distance.)

The earthiness and bready-yeasty notes, the sweet woody smells wrapped in minimally sweet caramel. And that smell of fermentation, preferment bubbling away somewhere in back.

Crust is special in it’s own way. My favorite is when blistered and rugged, almost burnished while the bread moist and chewy inside. These crust smell of old ovens, of just finished campfire toast in the mountains.

Bread aromas haven’t swirled through my house in almost five years until today. I thank Robin, well really her husband Michael, from Crushed Grape Chronicles for the kick in the butt. He made gorgeous flatbread that I could almost taste without taking a bite. Today, I pulled out the flour, made sure the yeast wasn’t expired and let my hands once again make bread.

I choose Naan. I didn’t have a purpose, like eating it with Dah, Tikka Masala, or a Hummus. Or slanting it towards Italian Piadine. No I just wanted to make and enjoy fresh Naan, the details would come later.

Flatbread, pita and tortillas yes, but I hadn’t made Naan. I found three, preferred recipes and combined elements of each. In the end, I confidently share this recipe is a super easy and tasty.

You can add anything to the dough, minced garlic for example, herbs, or nigella seeds if you can find them. They have a garlicky flavor. I’ve got chopped nuts and softly dried prunes up my sleeve for the next batch.

Mixing, kneading, rising, portioning, rolling small pieces out is the way I spent my afternoon after reading about the latest casualties. There’s something soothing about bread and dough. If you like bread too, my hope is this recipe will take your mind away and give you comfort!

Home made Naan, roasted French breakfast radishes and asparagus, grated carrot and celery root salad with a tahini vinaigrette, mixed greens, dip is Greek yogurt with parsley, cilantro, mint, lemon juice and EVOO.

On a side note, this Château La Baronne, Pièce de Roche 2014, 100% Carignan was a gorgeous wine, by itself then with the naan and accompaniments. The earthy characteristics in all components melded together creating a tasting bliss!