Nigellan Flatbread

Directions

1. 1
   Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and make a well.
2. 2
   Dollop the yogurt and oil into a measuring cup and add warm water to come up to the 1 1/2-cup mark.
3. 3
   Give a quick beat with a fork to combine, then pour this liquid into the dry ingredients, and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon, adding more liquid as needed, to form a firm but soft dough.
4. 4
   Turn out onto a floured surface (or set your mixer and dough hook to work) and start kneading.
5. 5
   Add more flour as needed until youve got a smooth, supple, and elastic dough.
6. 6
   Form the dough into a ball, grease a bowl, and turn the dough in it so its lightly oiled all over.
7. 7
   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to rise for about an hour or so, until doubled in size.
8. 8
   Punch the dough down, then leave to rest for 10 minutes.
9. 9
   Preheat the oven to 425F.
10. 10
    Tear the dough into thirds, and then halve each piece.
11. 11
    Form each of these 6 little pieces into an egg-shape and, one by one, roll them out to make a flat, elongated, if irregular oval.
12. 12
    Place on baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart, cover with tea towels, and leave to prove for 20 minutes, until puffy.
13. 13
    Using the blunt side of an ordinary kitchen knife, draw diagonal parallel lines across the loaves about 3/4 inch apart.
14. 14
    Do the same now the other direction, so youve got a loose crisscross.
15. 15
    Beat the egg with the water and yogurt and, using a pastry brush, paint this over the breads.
16. 16
    Sprinkle on the nigella seeds and bake in the hot oven for 810 minutes, by which time the loaves will be golden, puffed up in places, and cooked through.
17. 17
    Remove them from the oven and drape immediately and for a few minutes with a tea towel so that these small, flat, breads dont dry up and get too crusty.