Description
Matnakash – How to make an Armenian Flatbread
This traditional Armenian golden pull-apart fluffy oven-baked bread is chewy, soft and shaped by hand. The name Matnakash translates to finger-pull meaning pulled by fingers to make its long oval shape. It’s so yummy, you have to try!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dough Ingredients
- 6 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour
- 3 tablespoons RapidRise Instant Yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
- 4 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 3 cups warm Water
Egg Wash – Brush on top of bread
- 1 Egg White
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 2 teaspoon Water
Instructions
- Place yeast and sugar into hot water (120°-125°) and mix. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.
- Combine flour and salt and mix.
- Add fermented yeast, and oil into a large bowl gradually add flour one cup at a time. Knead dough for 10 minutes by hand or in a mixer on medium speed until it forms into a slightly sticky dough.
- Form into a ball, spread oil all around the dough ball. Place dough into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and place a towel over your bowl. Allow this to double in size for 1 1/2 hours in a warm setting.
- Once it has risen, remove the dough from the bowl and release the air. Form the dough into a ball and lightly spread oil over the dough. Cover with wax paper or a towel and place in a warm setting for another 20 minutes. Split the dough into two portions and set one portion aside.
- Place dough on an oiled baking pan. Lightly spread oil over the palms of your hands and softly start to spread dough and form an oval shape about 14″ x 8″. Once you achieve the shape, firmly press down until you touch the bottom of the baking sheet with your fingertips.
- Form a round oval shape with your fingertips or the side of your hands by leaving 1 1/4″ from the outer edge and two lines down the center of the dough.
- Combine egg white, oil, and water and lightly brush over the dough. Allow this to rest for another 30 minutes. Reform fingerprints push down and place into oven for 20 minutes at 500°. Once baked, place on a cooling rack for a few minutes before cutting it with a bread knife and enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure not to over-flour dough. Knead until it’s formed into a sticky dough.
- Using King Arthur bread flour has the best results in making this bread. However, this bread is still very good if made with regular all-purpose flour as well.
- Make sure to pre-heat your oven to 500°.
- For better results, you can also cook on a pizza stone for the oven that creates faster, superior rises for your bread, and of course that’s where this matters.
- Cool for 10 minutes before cutting into bread. This is important to let the bread cool off. If you slice it too early, it will seem a bit doughy. Patience is Golden!
*** Our Nutrition information is estimated, so please make sure to check your own calculation to fit your diet.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Rising Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Armenian
Keywords: Armenian Bread, Matnakash Bread, Fast Active Yeast Bread, Yeast Starter, homemade bread, baked bread