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Italian Naan Breads

I know, I sound a little like I may have lost the plot somewhat. As I’m tapping away on my keyboard I’m thinking to myself , ‘You cant call these, Italian naan breads’. But I did, and they are, well a version of them at least! They took minutes to prepare and not much longer to cook.
Who needs a tandoori oven, not me, and neither do you. Just an extremely hot grill. The reason I’m calling these delicious treats Italian naan breads is because I used mascarpone cheese and Italian flavourings. I didn’t have any natural yogurt in the fridge and on a whim wanted to make naan breads. So needs must and mascarpone came to my Italian rescue.The mascarpone cheese adds a little sweetness and moisture to the naans along with an incredible flavour. My other alternative flavourings were instead of using traditionally Indian spices, I went for fennel seeds and a combination of parsley and thyme.
I did not move from the grill whilst cooking these breads. Watching them through the glass door, they expanded with pockets of air and raised majestically, whilst becoming tanned and golden.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Keyword Italian Ham Naan Panini, Italian herbs naan, La Piadina

Ingredients

Naan Bread

  • 300 g Plain flour
  • 1 tsp Dried Yeast
  • 3 tsp Granulated Sugar
  • 130-140 ml Warm Water
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 4 tsp Melted Butter
  • 4 tsp Mascarpone Cheese

Topping

  • 1 tsp Melted Butter
  • Chopped handful Parsley
  • Chopped tsp Thyme
  • 1 tsp Fennel Seeds

Instructions

  • In a small bowl add the yeast, sugar and 2 tbsp of the warm water. Stir and leave for five minutes.
  • In another bowl add the flour, salt, remaining sugar, yeast mixture, melted butter and mascarpone.
  • Mix with a fork and form into a dough, using your hands.
  • Tumble out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 5 minutes, until the dough bounces back.
  • Coat your hand in a little olive oil and rub around the dough. Place into a bowl, clean tea towel over and leave to rise for 2-3 hours.
  •  Heat the grill to the highest setting, mine was 275C.
  • Split the dough into six portions for large breads or 12 portions for mini breads.
  • Roll out each portion to the thickness of a pound coin. You can choose the shape, oval is pretty. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with herbs and seasonings of your choice.
  • Pop onto a baking tray, under the grill, in batches.  Four minutes on the first side , then flip them over for a further two minutes.