Noni Afghani

How's this for random recipe discovery?  I have this spice rack that came with a bunch of different spices, most of which I use regularly.  However, as with most spice racks, it came with a few items that are just not part of anything I regularly make.  One of those things was caraway seeds.  I wanted to try something that used them so I started doing a search and happened upon this Middle Eastern flat bread.  And now I'm in love--this has definitely become part of my regular repertoire.  It is a little fluffier than a naan or a pita, but still a flat bread great for sopping up sauces.  I like to serve it with curry-type dishes so you do have that extra sauce to soak up, but the bread is still great on its own.  The caraway seeds add a great, unexpected little burst of flavor that I just can't get enough of.  That being said, my husband isn't really a fan of their flavor so I usually make a couple for him that have rosemary or something like that on them instead.

Noni Afghani

Number of Servings: 8
Time to Prepare: 2 hours 15 minutes

• 1 1/2 cups warm water, divided
• 2 1/4 tsp yeast (1 package)
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 4 cups flour
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp (or more) caraway seeds

In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.
   
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the oil and yeast mixture. Add the remaining 1 cup water in small amounts until you have a soft moist dough that can be handled (you won't necessarily use it all).

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead for at least 5 minutes. Return to the bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Deflate the risen dough, and divide into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
   
On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball with a rolling pin so it is oval shaped, about 6 inches long, and 1/2 inch thick. Use a fork or dull knife to draw three diagonal lines on the top of each loaf. Place the loaves on a baking sheet coated lightly with nonstick cooking spray.  (You should be able to fit flour loaves on a baking sheet.)

Mix together the egg and 1 Tbsp water; brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash. Sprinkle caraway seeds over the tops.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until the loaves are shiny and golden brown.

Source: slightly adapted from Allrecipes