Active Time

　　45 min

　　Total Time

　　3 1/2 hr

　　Uyghur flatbreads

　　Topped with a savory mixture of sautéed onion and sesame seeds, this moist, addictive bread gets a pleasant tang from a bit of yogurt added to the dough. Poking holes in it before baking — we use a thick skewer rather than the traditional chicken-feather quills — keeps the nan from getting too puffy.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 2 (11-inch) Flatbreads

　　

For bread

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water (105–115°F)

　　1 teaspoon sugar

　　1 teaspoon active dry yeast (from a 1/4-ounce package)

　　3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus 1/4 cup for kneading

　　2 teaspoons salt

　　1 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/2 cup whole-milk plain yogurt

　　1 large egg

　　2 tablespoons vegetable oil

　　

For topping

1 medium onion

　　2 tablespoons sesame seeds

　　3 tablespoons vegetable oil

　　

Special Equipment

a pizza/baking stone; parchment paper; a pizza/baking peel (optional); a large thick skewer

　　

Make bread dough:

Step 1

Stir together warm water and sugar in a measuring cup, then sprinkle yeast over mixture and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. (If yeast doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)

　　

Step 2

Stir together flour (3 3/4 cups), salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Stir together yogurt, egg, and oil in a small bowl. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add yeast mixture and yogurt mixture, then stir in flour mixture gradually with a wooden spoon until dough just comes together.

　　

Step 3

Knead dough on a lightly floured surface with floured hands, lightly reflouring work surface and your hands when dough becomes too sticky, using no more than 1/4 cup flour, until dough is smooth, soft, and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled large bowl and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours.

　　

Make topping while dough rises:

Step 4

Put oven rack with pizza stone in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 450F. (Heating pizza stone will take about 1 hour.)

　　

Step 5

Coarsely grate onion on largest holes of a box grater and drain well in a sieve. Cook onion and sesame seeds in oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until onion is just beginning to turn golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.

　　

Step 6

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface without punching down. Cut dough into 2 pieces and transfer 1 piece to parchment-lined pizza peel or baking sheet. (Keep remaining piece of dough covered with plastic wrap.) Flatten dough with lightly oiled fingertips, patting and gently stretching into an 11- to 12-inch round.

　　

Step 7

Spread half of onion mixture over round, then poke holes through dough all over with skewer.

　　

Step 8

Slide bread, along with parchment, onto pizza stone. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove bread from oven by sliding peel under parchment. Transfer bread to a rack and discard parchment.

　　

Step 9

While first flatbread is baking, make another bread on another sheet of parchment, then bake in same manner. Serve flatbreads warm.