Ingredients
Starter
- 150 gactive wheat sourdough starter
Dough
- 900 gwholemeal or high-extraction wheat flour
- 700 mlwarm water
- 18 gsalt
To finish
- sesame seeds
- or nigella seeds, poppy seeds
Equipment
- a bed of clean river pebbles on a heavy tray
- or a baking stone
To serve
- with kebab
- with cheese, herbs and walnuts for breakfast
Directions
- Check the bread before biting into it, because a pebble will break a tooth. Mix the flour and water and let it stand 30 minutes before adding anything else.
- Add the starter and the salt and mix thoroughly. The dough is very wet, around 75 per cent hydration, and it is not kneaded in the usual way.
- Prove for a further hour until visibly risen and bubbly. Use clean, smooth, non-porous river pebbles of a similar size, washed and thoroughly dried. Never use porous or damp stones.
- Spread them in a single layer on a heavy tray and heat them in the oven at maximum, at least 250°C (480°F), for a full hour.
- Oil the pebbles lightly before heating, which stops the dough sticking. Now stretch a portion of dough out on a floured peel into a long oval, about 60 cm.
- Scatter sesame or nigella seeds over. Slide it directly onto the hot pebbles. Bake 8 to 12 minutes until it is browned and blistered and the dimples are set. Lift it off with a peel or long tongs and shake it firmly to dislodge any pebbles.
- Shake it properly and then check it again by hand, which is exactly what bakery staff do before handing it over. In Iranian bakeries the bread is hung over a rail to cool, which lets steam escape and keeps it from going soggy. Serve it warm, torn by hand rather than cut.
Technique
- Sangak bakeries are a fixture of Iranian towns and the ovens are built with a sloped pebble floor.
- The wholemeal flour and the sourdough make it nutritionally the best regarded of the Iranian breads.
- It stales quickly and is bought fresh daily.
Substitutions
- A baking stone in place of pebbles, which gives no dimples but works.
- High-extraction bread flour in place of wholemeal.
Variations
- With sesame, nigella or poppy seeds.
- Made shorter for a home oven.
- Barbari, the thicker Iranian flatbread.
History
Bread baked on a bed of hot pebbles, which give it its dimples; the name means little stone.
Frequently asked questions
What is Sangak?
Sangak is a bread & pastry from Iran: whole-wheat sourdough flatbread baked on hot pebbles. Bread baked on a bed of hot pebbles, which give it its dimples; the name means little stone.
How long does Sangak take to make?
Sangak takes 30 min plus 12 hr sourdough and 3 hr rising of preparation and 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes 3 large loaves. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Sangak?
Yes, within limits. A baking stone in place of pebbles, which gives no dimples but works. High-extraction bread flour in place of wholemeal.
What is the most important thing to get right in Sangak?
Prove for a further hour until visibly risen and bubbly. Use clean, smooth, non-porous river pebbles of a similar size, washed and thoroughly dried. Never use porous or damp stones.
