Vegan naan made with spelt flour and just a handful of other ingredients. Naan is really easy even if you're not used to making bread, and a delicious addition to just about any meal.
Let the mixture rest for 15 minutes, until the yeast blooms*, or looks frothy.
Stir in the remaining water, olive oil, salt, and 150g (1 cup) of flour with a wooden spoon.
250 ml room-temperature water, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 375 - 450 grams spelt flour**
Add the remaining flour 75g (1/2 cup) at a time, stirring between each addition, until it becomes too difficult to stir by hand.
375 - 450 grams spelt flour**
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Knead for 5-10 minutes, sprinkling additional flour as needed, until a soft and smooth dough forms. You can also use the dough hook in a stand mixer if you have one.
Drizzle a little olive oil into the bowl and place the kneaded dough into it, turning the dough to coat it in oil. Cover with a tea towel and plate or beeswax wrap.
Place the dough in a warm spot (like an oven with the light on) and let the dough rise for about 50-60 minutes, or until doubled in size.
Cook the Naan
Heat a large, flat bottomed pan on medium high heat with a drizzle of olive oil.
Portion the dough into approximately 12 equal pieces, then flour a surface and roll one out at a time into rough ovals, about 5mm - 1 cm (~.5 in.) thick.
Once the pan is very hot, add add a piece of rolled out dough. The bread should immediately bubble and start to puff up.
Sprinkle a little pinch of salt if desired, and cook for about 45 seconds. Carefully flip and cook for another 30 seconds.
Roll the second naan while the first is cooking. Repeat until all of the dough has been used, keeping the cooked flatbreads in a warm oven while cooking.
The naan is best eaten fresh but will still be good on day two, if stored in a sealed container on the counter. It freezes well and can be thawed to use as a side or a quick pizza base.
Notes
* If it doesn't bubble or foam, buy new yeast, or start again with cooler water.** This can be all light or whole grain, or a mix of the two. For the softest bread, use light spelt flour.