[Zana]

5 cups lukewarm water
2 1/4 oz packages active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
5 lbs flour, plus extra flour for dusting work area
2 tsps salt
1/4 lb. melter butter or crisco
2 eggs, optional
1 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Pour 1/4 cup of water into a small bowl, add the yeast and sugar, stir to dissolve, then cover and set aside to proof.

2. Add flour into a large mixing bowl, sprinkle over it the salt, make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast, remaining water, butter, and eggs if used, scraping and incorporating the flour that sticks to the sides of the bowl.

3. Knead for about 10 minutes until dough is smooth and elastic and does not stick to the hands. Add more warm water if dough feels stiff. pour half the olive oil into one palm and shape dough into a ball, turning to call all sides.

4. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl, add remaining oil and turn dough again. Cover bowl with a plastic sheet, wrap well, and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, or about 2 hours.

5. Punch the dough down, divide into 20 to 25 balls. Have some trays ready, lightly dusted with flour, on which to place the balls of dough, and keep them well wrapped until ready to roll out. large plastic sheets, tucked in on all sides, are best.

6. Pick up the fist ball, flatten it with the hands or a rolling pin into a circle about 6 inches / 15 cm in diameter. Use the reserved flour for rolling the circles of dough. Sprinkle both sides with flour and continue with remaining balls, stack the circles in six or eight piles.

7. Remove oven shelving, heat oven to 500 degrees F. Broiler pan should be at closet level to flame/elements. Have on hand a standard size rolling pin, a long thin dowl about 24 inches/60 cm in length, a large spatula and a fork.

8. Sprinkle flour on counter surface, take the first circle of dough and with the rolling pin roll it to the size of a large pie crust or about 15 inches / 37.5cm in diameter, turning dough often to obtain a desired, evenly rounded circle.

9. P ric k the dough all over with the fork to prevent large bubbles from forming during baking. Drape circle over the long dowel and place on the oven floor. This will bake in about 90 seconds! Open the oven door and check it once while baking. If any large bubbles form, break them with the end of the dowl. Use the long spatula to pick up the bread and place under the broiler for another 90 seconds. Lower oven heat to 450 degrees if bread is baking faster than 3 minutes.

10. Keep breads in a cool place. Bread will keep for months and can be eatern dry or sprinkled with water. Hold the bread under running water on both sides, let drain, then break into 2 or 3 pieces and pile on a plate. Delicious with cheese, olives or appetisers (hummus, baba ghanoush, taramasalata).

Yield: 20 to 25 flat breads, about 15 inches / 37.5cm in diameter.

Note:
1] If too much flour is used in opening the dough circles, the flour will scorch when placed on the hot oven flour, so use the flour sparingly.
2] If the oven bakes unevenly, turn the bread once north to south during baking and broiling steps.

Variation:

To make Armenian lavash, bake the last few breads with the oven door open. Bake the bread until it is a light brown on the bottom, turn over and bake until other side is browned. Do not close oven door during baking or the result will be a soft bread

Copied from "Armenian Cooking Today" by Alice Antreassian