Feseli, Flaky Flatbread (Plain or Spiced)

azcookbook.com/2017/01/28/feseli-flaky-flatbread/

By Feride Buyuran on January 28, 2017 / Azerbaijani Food , Breads and Savory Bakes , Butter , My Cookbook In my
baking class recently, along with other traditional and contemporary bakes, we made feseli , a flaky flatbread from
Azerbaijan. The recipe, published in “Pomegranates & Saffron,” received raving reviews from class participants and I
thought to share it on the blog, too. I have a feeling you will love this flatbread, and so will anyone you treat it to.
The flakiness in feseli is achieved by rolling the dough into a thin circle, brushing it with a generous doze of butter ,
plain or perfumed with a dozen spices , rolling into a roulade, coiling, then flattening before cooking it on both
sides. Traditionally, feseli is baked outside on a domed cast-iron pan, saj , heated over glowing wood embers, but at
home, a regular cast-iron pan or non-stick frying pan work just as well. In the class, we made two types of feseli –
one was laminated with melted clarified butter (ghee), another with clarified butter mixed with a variety of ground
spices. Both were good in their own right, but the spiced feseli , laced with a subtle hint of yellow all over, thanks to
turmeric, got the most accolades. The beauty of this bread is that it can be served as a savory meal with salty white
cheese crumbled on top, or as a sweet indulgence , with a generous sprinkle of granulated sugar or a drizzle of
honey. So good! Look at this flakiness! The first step is to make the dough – from scratch, of course. It is a basic
dough, made with flour, water, and salt. Then, we roll out the dough into a very thin circle, using a thin, long rolling
pin . The circle gets a nice splash of melted butter, spread all over it. The butter can be plain or spiced. The
buttered circle is then rolled up into a tight roulade, twisted from both ends, then coiled. Pretty, isn’t it? The coiled
dough is rolled out into a thin circle again. Ready to bake! Ready to eat! Feseli, Flaky Flatbread (Plain and Spiced)
Save Print Prep time 20 mins Cook time 20 mins Total time 40 mins Author: Feride Buyuran Recipe type: Breads &
Savory Bakes Serves: Makes 2 flatbreads Ingredients Dough: 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading and
work surface 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup water *** Filling: Variation 1: Simple Butter Filling 6 tablespoons clarified butter
(ghee) or unsalted butter *** Variation 2: Spiced Butter Filling 6 tablespoons clarified butter or unsalted butter ¼
teaspoon cumin seeds, ground ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds, ground ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds, ground ¼ teaspoon
anise seeds, ground ¼ teaspoon star anise (badyan) seeds, ground ¼ teaspoon saffron threads, ground to a
powder with a mortar and pestle ¼ teaspoon turmeric About 2 tablespoons clarified butter or unsalted butter, for
frying Instructions Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Add the salt and water and
stir with your hand until a rough ball forms. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead about 10
minutes, until smooth and elastic. If the dough sticks to your hands, add more flour. Cover with a kitchen cloth and
let rest for 10 minutes. Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape each into a ball. Work with one ball at a
time and keep the other covered with a kitchen cloth. Transfer one ball onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it into a
disk. Sprinkle some flour on top. Using a thin rolling pin, begin to roll out the dough. Wrap the near edge of the
dough around the rolling pin and roll the dough away from you. Flour the circle lightly between each roll. Continue
rolling until you obtain a very thin 16-inch circle. If you plan to use simple butter filling, melt the butter in a small
pan and cool to room temperature. For the spiced butter filling, melt the butter in a small pan and combine it with
the spices. Stir to mix and allow to cool to room temperature. Using a spoon, spread about 3 tablespoons of the
plain melted butter or the spiced butter over the circle, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Gently roll the
circle into a tight cylinder. Now, gently pull the sides of the cylinder to stretch it as far as it can go (this will thin the
layers further). Next, holding one end of the cylinder with one hand, gently twist it (as if twisting a wet cloth) with
your other hand a few times (this will yield a flakier bread). Now, holding one end of the twisted cylinder with one
hand, coil it with your other hand to form a tight spiral. Leave the spiral aside to rest for 10 minutes. Then, using a
rolling pin, roll out the spiral into a flat 10-inch circle. Repeat the process for the remaining dough ball. In a nonstick
frying pan large enough to fit one flatbread, heat 1 tablespoon of butter (do this for each flatbread) over medium-
low heat. Cook each flatbread on one side until it is golden, then turn to cook the other side, for a total of 7 to 10
minutes. Another method would be to cook, alternating the sides from time to time, to allow for even cooking, until
both sides are nicely golden. Serve immediately. Notes Adapted from Feride Buyuran's "Pomegranates & Saffron: A
Culinary Journey to Azerbaijan." Previous Post Butternut Squash or Pumpkin Preserves Next Post Goat Cheese and
Chive Cookies

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 January 28,
2017

Feseli, Flaky Flatbread (Plain and Spiced)

Prep time
20 mins
Cook time
20 mins
Total time
40 mins
Dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading and
work surface
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
***
Filling:
Variation 1: Simple Butter Filling
6 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee) or unsalted butter
***
Variation 2: Spiced Butter Filling
6 tablespoons clarified butter or unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
¼ teaspoon coriander seeds, ground
¼ teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
¼ teaspoon anise seeds, ground
¼ teaspoon star anise (badyan) seeds, ground
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, ground to a powder with a mortar and pestle
¼ teaspoon turmeric
About 2 tablespoons clarified butter or unsalted butter, for frying

1. Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Add the salt and
water and stir with your hand until a rough ball forms. Scrape the dough onto a lightly
floured surface. Knead about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If the dough sticks
to your hands, add more flour. Cover with a kitchen cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.
2. Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape each into a ball. Work with one ball
at a time and keep the other covered with a kitchen cloth.
3. Transfer one ball onto a lightly floured surface. Pat it into a disk. Sprinkle some flour
on top. Using a thin rolling pin, begin to roll out the dough. Wrap the near edge of the
dough around the rolling pin and roll the dough away from you. Flour the circle lightly
between each roll. Continue rolling until you obtain a very thin 16-inch circle.
4. If you plan to use simple butter filling, melt the butter in a small pan and cool to room

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 temperature. For the spiced butter filling, melt the butter in a small pan and combine
it with the spices. Stir to mix and allow to cool to room temperature.
5. Using a spoon, spread about 3 tablespoons of the plain melted butter or the spiced
butter over the circle, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Gently roll the circle
into a tight cylinder. Now, gently pull the sides of the cylinder to stretch it as far as it
can go (this will thin the layers further). Next, holding one end of the cylinder with one
hand, gently twist it (as if twisting a wet cloth) with your other hand a few times (this
will yield a flakier bread).
6. Now, holding one end of the twisted cylinder with one hand, coil it with your other
hand to form a tight spiral. Leave the spiral aside to rest for 10 minutes. Then, using a
rolling pin, roll out the spiral into a flat 10-inch circle. Repeat the process for the
remaining dough ball.
7. In a nonstick frying pan large enough to fit one flatbread, heat 1 tablespoon of butter
(do this for each flatbread) over medium-low heat. Cook each flatbread on one side
until it is golden, then turn to cook the other side, for a total of 7 to 10 minutes.
Another method would be to cook, alternating the sides from time to time, to allow for
even cooking, until both sides are nicely golden. Serve immediately.

Adapted from Feride Buyuran's "Pomegranates & Saffron: A Culinary Journey to Azerbaijan."

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