Lavosh - Armenian Cracker Bread

Lavosh is a cracker bread, crisp, slightly sweet and (if I may say so) addictive. It's handy to have on hand and keeps for several weeks. Lavosh is pronounced LAH-voshe (though my family calls is la-vosh, no accent) and is some times spelled in other ways, including lavash and lahvosh. This recipe comes from my dear Auntie Gloria, she's been making lavosh for many many years, it's definitely a family favorite! It's easy to make and keeps for weeks.

COMPLIMENTS!
"Yummo! ... Definitely a keeper." ~ LeAnne via Facebook

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Ever tried a new recipe and liked it so much you made it again right away?

Such was the case for my mom’s family’s version of lavosh, an Armenian cracker bread. While there are other recipes by the same name that call for yeast and thus yield a result more-bread-than-cracker, this is a true cracker, thin, crunchy, a tiny bit sweet. And did I mention addictive? That too.

Serve lavosh with cheese and fruit or alongside a hearty bowl of soup.

ALANNA's TIPS Be sure to stir the flour lightly with a spoon before spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling. Scooping compacted flour directly from the bin can result in up to 25% more flour than called for and yields a tough rather than delicate cracker. If your baking sheet is rimmed, it's fussy to finagle the rolling pin inside the rim. Consider a flat baking sheet or rolling out the lavosh with a smooth glass jar. A more unorthodox idea? Just turn the baking sheet over and roll on the underside! When baking, the edges may brown sooner since they’re typically thinner. This is okay – the thin parts are actually the most tasty. Prepare for a shock when checking the price of small jars of poppy seeds in the spice section at a grocery store. Instead, if you have access to an international grocery, large bags can be purchased for a couple of dollars. (For St. Louisans, I find inexpensive poppy seeds at Global Foods in Kirkwood.) The sesame seed and poppy seed mix is great. But what's pictured is two varieties of sesame seeds, the typical blond-colored ones and black sesame seeds. Excellent! I’ve experimented with caraway seeds (also traditional, apparently, based on similar recipes) and pretzel salt but prefer the sesame and poppy seed combination. Oh – and you might think about making a double batch!

LAVOSH
(ARMENIAN CRACKER BREAD)

Mixing & rolling: 30 minutes
Baking: 1 hour (requires occasional attention)
Makes 20 dozen small crackers

• 2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour, fluffed to aerate before measuring or 345g
• 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (255g) buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• Flour, for rolling

Heat oven to 375F/190C.

Combine dry ingredients. Blend in butter with a wooden spoon until crumbly. Add buttermilk and stir until well combined.

Divide dough into four parts. Sprinkle some flour onto a clean, flat surface, just like we do for kneading bread. With a rolling pin, roll one section to form a rectangle roughly 6 x 8 inches. Transfer the rectangle to an ungreased but lightly floured (very important step!) baking sheet. Directly on the sheet, roll the dough to the edges of the baking sheet as thin and evenly as possible, first with the rolling pin, then with your hands.

Sprinkle dough liberally with seeds, pressing the seeds into the dough with your palms (another important step!).

Bake until golden, about 13 – 15 minutes. Cool and break into cracker-size pieces, about 60 pieces per sheet.

Store in airtight container, will stay fresh for several weeks.

NUTRITION INFORMATION For four pieces: 65 Calories; 4g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 1g Mono Fat; 7g Carb; 1g Fiber; 26mg Sodium; 4mg Cholesterol; 2g Protein WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 1.5 & PointsPlus 2

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. Follow Kitchen Parade on Facebook!

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More Ideas for Crackers & Quick Bread Bites

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Serving Suggestions for Lavosh

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