Skillet Lafa

Cooking

1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in warm water and leave for 10 minutes until a frothy cap forms.
2. Mix the flour with salt, pour in the yeast mixture and 40 ml of oil, and knead into a soft, elastic dough. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and slightly sticky.
3. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and leave in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
4. Punch down the dough, divide it into portion sizes, and roll into balls. Cover with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes to relax the gluten.
5. Roll out each ball on a floured surface into a thin circle 25–28 cm in diameter (2–3 mm thick). The thinner it is, the softer and more flexible the lafa.
6. Preheat a dry cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until it smokes slightly. Shake off excess flour from the flatbread to prevent burning.
7. Place the flatbread on the skillet and cook for 40–60 seconds until the surface blisters, then flip and cook for another 30–40 seconds until browned. Do not overcook — the lafa should remain flexible.
8. Stack the finished lafas and cover with a towel — the steam will keep them soft. Serve warm, wrapped around a filling, or store in a bag for up to 2 days and reheat on a dry skillet.