Naan Nick Malgieri Food

NAAN

Steps:

• Combine the yeast and sugar with 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside until it begins to froth, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile combine 2 1/2 cups of the flour with the salt in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Make a well in the center and add the yeast-mixture, yogurt, ghee or butter, warm milk and lemon juice, if using. Mix well with your fingers until it forms a sticky or shaggy dough. Add more flour if too shaggy or a little water if too dry.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in a larger lightly-oiled bowl, tightly cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place, such as an unlit oven, until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
• If using a pizza stone/steel: An hour before baking, put a pizza stone or steel on the lowest oven rack and preheat to 500 to 550 degrees F. If using a cast-iron skillet/griddle, just before baking, heat the skillet or griddle on the stove over high heat until very hot, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Put some melted ghee or butter in a small bowl. Add the remaining flour to another bowl.
• Divide the dough into 8 balls. Dab each ball in flour, flatten on a lightly floured surface and stretch or roll into an oval shape, thinner in the center and slightly thicker on the sides. Don't worry too much about the shape; I love making various countries when I make my naan! Dust off any extra flour. Brush some ghee or butter on the top of each and sprinkle with nigella seeds if using (add a little more than you want as you will lose a bunch while charring).
• Transfer the stretched naan onto the hot stone or skillet. Cook until you see some bubbles on top, 2 to 3 minutes. Take it out with tongs and flash-cook over an open flame, turning it so that it gets a few brown charred spots on both sides. Spread with a generous pat of butter/ghee and serve hot. Repeat with the remaining naan.

NAAN (NICK MALGIERI)

Steps:

• *You will need a griddle or nonstick saute pan for baking the naan, or a charcoal or gas grill.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, stir together the flour, salt, and sugar.
• Whisk the yeast into the water and add to the bowl; use a large rubber spatula to stir the ingredients together.
• Place the bowl on the mixer with the dough hook and mix the dough at the lowest speed for 2 minutes; add in the oil and mix 1 minute.
• Scrape the dough into an oiled bowl and turn it over so that the top is oiled.
• Press plastic wrap against the surface of the dough and let the dough rise at room temperature until it is doubled in bulk, about 1 hour (you may also let it rise in the refrigerator overnight).
• Scrape the risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and use a knife or bench scraper to divide the dough into 6 equal pieces.
• Round the pieces of dough under your hand to make smooth spheres.
• Place on a floured plate or pan and cover with oiled plastic wrap; let the dough rise for about 1hour at room temperature or about 3 hours in refrigerator.
• To bake the naan on a saute pan or griddle-place the pan over medium heat and cover the pan with a dome-shaped cover at least 10 inches in diameter; let the pan heat while you are shaping the naan.
• On a lightly floured work surface, use your fingertips to press out one of the pieces of dough into a flat disk; then use the palm of your hand or a rolling pin to flatten the piece of dough to an even disk about 8 inches in diameter.
• Uncover the pan or griddle and place the dough on it; cover for 2 minutes and allow to bake; uncover the pan and turn the dough over to bake on the other side for 2 minutes, covering the pan again.
• Remove the baked naan from the pan and cover the pan and allow it to heat for a couple of minutes before pressing out and baking the next piece of dough (baking the naan one a time is time-consuming, but best for flavor and texture.
• To bake the naan on a grill, make a charcoal fire and allow it to burn to a covering of white ash; or preheat a gas grill and set the temperature between medium and high.
• Press out the pieces of dough and place on the grill all at once; if you can cover the grill, do so for about 30 seconds, and turn the naan over to bake for 30 seconds on the other side.
• Naan should be blistery and lightly colored, with a few dark spots.
• To serve: quickly brush the naan with melted butter before serving in wedges with Indian food or any highly seasoned food.