Iraqi Tannour Bread
Tannour-style whole wheat bread adapted for a home oven.
Preparation: 25 min · Cooking: 12 min · Total: 1 hr 55 min · 2 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Instant dry yeast
- 180 ml Warm water for dough
- 0.5 tsp Fine salt
- 480 ml Whole wheat flour, total including dusting
- 1 tsp Honey OR sugar, by spoon volume
- Small process allowance of water for damp fingertips
Instructions
Reserve dusting flour
For the base two servings, reserve 15 ml from the 480 ml total flour for dusting. Put the other 465 ml in the bowl; no extra flour or bowl grease is included. Half uses 232.5 + 7.5 ml; fourfold uses 1860 + 60 ml.
Mix dry ingredients
Mix dough flour, yeast, salt and the measured honey OR sugar. The sweetener choice uses the listed spoon volume, not an equal-weight claim.
Add dough water
Add the measured 180 ml warm dough water gradually until a cohesive dough forms. Keep any surface moisture separate from this dough-water amount.
Knead the dough
Knead for about 10 minutes until cohesive and elastic. Do not taste raw flour dough or invent extra water/flour.
Knead the dough: 600 seconds
Proof the dough
Cover and proof from about 60 minutes, guided by visible expansion rather than the clock. No added oil is needed.
Proof the dough: 3600 seconds
Portion four breads
Gently release excess air and divide the base dough into four equal balls. This is four breads for two servings; half makes two breads and fourfold sixteen.
Rest the balls
Rest the balls for about 10 minutes on a surface dusted only with the reserved flour. Use that allowance as needed, not necessarily all of it.
Rest the balls: 600 seconds
Preheat suitable equipment
Preheat the home oven with a suitable oven-rated tray inside to 260°C only if the oven and tray manufacturer permit it. An oven-rated steel or stone is optional only for its specified use. Otherwise use the supported temperature and extend checks.
Shape the bread
Flatten and stretch gently; lightly damp fingertips with the separately listed process water if needed. This is a home-oven adaptation: no hot-wall slapping, stovetop stone, inverted skillet or smoking-surface technique.
Transfer safely
Transfer dough with suitable tools and oven gloves onto the hot tray. Keep cloth and shaping plastic out of the oven; never press dough against hot equipment by hand.
Bake and check centres
Bake, beginning checks around 2 minutes, and continue until fully cooked without a raw or gummy centre. Browned spots alone are insufficient; avoid deliberate black charring. Times depend on equipment and thickness.
Bake and check centres: 120 seconds
Cool for serving
Remove with suitable tools and allow safe handling before wrapping loosely in a clean cloth for softness. Cool fully on a rack before storage wrapping.
Store safely
Cool fully on a rack before wrapping and refrigerating at 4°C or colder. Use within 2 days; refrigeration may stale bread. This is a selected household limit, not validated shelf life.
Tips
- Ingredient quantities scale exactly; instruction amounts describe the base 2 servings. Cup = 240 ml, tbsp = 15 ml and tsp = 5 ml. Times are first checks, not readiness guarantees; use manageable batches and suitable vessels.
Common mistakes
- Keep raw meat and raw flour dough separate from ready-to-eat food. Do not taste raw dough, grain shells or meat. Distinguish initial liquid, discarded process water, derived broth and conditional additions.
Substitutions
- Only alternatives explicitly listed in this ingredient formula are included; do not restore ingredients from an older draft.
Storage
Cool fully on a rack before wrapping and refrigerating at 4°C or colder. Use within 2 days; refrigeration may stale bread. This is a selected household limit, not validated shelf life.
Reheating
Serve cooled bread without reheating if preferred; rewarm a serving gently until warm throughout without burning.
About this recipe
Iraqi Tannour Bread is presented as the owner's Iraqi household version, explicitly adapted for a home oven. Specific ancient origins, health benefits and exclusive regional claims have not been independently authenticated.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.