Lavash on a skillet

To make the dough rise easier, activate the yeast at the very beginning. To do this, take the necessary amount of yeast and mix it with a pinch of sugar. Then pour in a cup of warm water, approximately 37 degrees Celsius. Stir slightly, cover the bowl (to prevent drafts) and let it sit for a while.

After about 10-15 minutes, you will notice a fairly large foamy cap on the surface - a sure sign that the yeast has awakened and is ready for the next stage of dough preparation.

Then, add softened butter and salt to the activated yeast, and mix it a bit... and then gradually add sifted flour. I do this gradually, stirring well each time, perhaps with a fork. When the dough becomes slightly moist, it is best to continue kneading it by hand on the work surface, adding the remaining flour as needed (it's better not to exceed the recommended amount, less is better).

In the end, the dough should be elastic, homogeneous, and not sticky to the hands. Transfer it to a large bowl, cover it to prevent drafts, and leave it in a warm place to rise.

After about 1 hour (or maybe 1.5), the dough will double in size.

Then, take out the dough onto a flour-dusted surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. If you're not in a hurry, cover these pieces with a towel and let them rise again (for about 20-30 minutes). But you can also start rolling them out right away.

Roll out each piece into a fairly thin layer (until transparent), approximately 1-2 millimeters. Oh yes! Take into account the size of your largest skillet.

Since everything will cook quickly from here, I roll out all the pieces at once and stack them, dusting each with flour (to prevent sticking).

Now all that's left is to fry all the rolled out dough. To do this, heat up your skillet thoroughly, then reduce the heat (just above medium) and start cooking the lavash. Fry on a dry skillet for about 15-20 seconds on each side. Do not brown the lavash - it will dry out and become brittle. Just flip it when you see that the dough has turned white and bubbles have formed. Flip it for a few more seconds and remove it. Then, while still hot, moisten the lavash with wet hands on both sides. This moisture quickly absorbs into the dry surface and makes the lavash elastic and soft. If you stack them on top of each other, occasionally rearrange them to prevent sticking, as they remain slightly moist until they dry out.

And that's all the tricks. According to this recipe, you get very delicious lavash - airy, soft, and slightly salty flatbread. You can simply dip it in, let's say, a thick, aromatic stew... Or you can make lazy chebureki... But we love homemade shawarma the most (sometimes it's also called kebab) - the choice of ingredients is unlimited, according to your preferences and taste... safe and healthy (unlike store-bought ones). With homemade lavash, crispy lettuce leaves (I adore Iceberg), any fresh vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, sweet peppers...), and, optionally, something meat or fish - you can assemble a delicious and hearty snack. Oh! I forgot to mention the sauce - any sauce of your choice - garlic, tomato... Any additional ingredient can individually change the taste of the original dish, hence the incredible number of options. But if you have already accomplished the feat of making your own lavash, why not make the sauce yourself? We, for example, love this version, which I will describe below. To make it, I take several pickled cucumbers, any herbs, garlic, and a spicy chili pepper - the amount is up to you.

Blend all the ingredients together until smooth. Add some mayonnaise and tomato sauce to the vegetable mixture. Mix well to create a flavorful and thick sauce.

Assemble the shawarma according to your preferences. Spread the sauce on a tortilla, layer the sliced vegetables and meat (such as chicken or fish) on top. In this case, I used slices of lightly salted salmon.

Roll the tortilla into a tight wrap and enjoy your delicious dish! It's no wonder that lavash translates to good food from ancient Armenian. Bon appétit!