How to Make Naan

Naan, one of the daily breads of India, is dense and chewy, almost like focaccia but thinner. If you don't have a pizza peel, use the back of a baking sheet to transfer the dough to a hot pizza stone. You can also bake naan on a heavy baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

After mixing the dough and letting the dough rise for the first time, the batter will be bubbly, lacy, and weblike.

Sitr in salt and oil, and add the bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time.

Stir with a wooden spoon. The dough will become very difficult to stir. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add bread flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands (the dough will feel sticky).

Place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until doubled in size. Punch the dough down, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), stretch each portion into a 6-inch oval. Cover and let rest 5 minutes.

Make indentations in the top of each dough portion using the handle of a wooden spoon or your fingertips; cover and let rise 20 minutes. Bake until lightly browned.