Cheese Naan bread is a delicious variation of the classic Indian Naan bread, enriched with a filling of melted cheese. A soft and tasty leavened bread made with a dough of flour, water, yeast, and yogurt that makes it really soft.
To prepare this recipe, knead all the ingredients until you get a smooth and elastic dough, which is then left to rise until it doubles in size. After rising, divide the dough into balls and fill them with fresh spreadable cheese. I used squacquerone, but you can use another spreadable cheese of your choice, such as stracchino. You can also enrich the filling by adding aromatic herbs, such as chives.
The cheese Naan is then cooked in a pan like the traditional one and brushed with a dressing of extra virgin olive oil and parsley. If you like, you can also add minced garlic. In this case, I didn’t use it to please the youngest in the house. Of course, as per the original recipe, you can also use ghee, or alternatively melted butter and coriander.
These delicious cheese flatbreads are very easy to prepare and can be served at a tasty dinner or for an aperitif with friends. What do you say, shall we prepare them together? Then let’s go to the kitchen, because the cheese Naan bread will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other Indian recipes, also read:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 8 Naan
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Indian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 291.36 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 47.75 (g) of which sugars 3.62 (g)
- Proteins 11.73 (g)
- Fat 7.02 (g) of which saturated 2.66 (g)of which unsaturated 1.25 (g)
- Fibers 1.49 (g)
- Sodium 625.04 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 113 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 7 tbsps water (at room temperature)
- 4.5 oz squacquerone
- 2.5 tsp dry yeast
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1.5 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- chopped parsley (as needed)
Tools
- Mixing Bowl
- Rolling Pin
- Kneading Board
- Pan
Steps
First, pour the water at room temperature into a bowl and dissolve the yeast in it. Then add the yogurt and mix with a spoon until well combined. Now incorporate the flour and continue mixing until the dough starts to firm up a bit. At this point, also add the salt and transfer the dough onto a kneading board. Continue kneading by hand for at least 10 minutes until you get a smooth and homogeneous dough ball. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature for at least 2 hours, or until it has doubled in volume.
After the rising time, take the dough, transfer it to a kneading board and divide it into 8 equal parts. Then take one piece, flatten it with your hands, bring the edges towards the center and form a ball with your hands. Dust the kneading board with a bit of flour and roll out the ball with a rolling pin into a diameter of 6 inches. It should also be quite thin. Spread a tablespoon of cheese in the center and bring the edges back to the center. Then press lightly with your hands to close the bread well and prevent the cheese from leaking during cooking. Do this with all the balls. As you fill them, place them on a lightly floured cutting board, covering them with a cloth to prevent them from drying out.
Then heat a non-stick pan and, as soon as it’s hot, place the first bread with the closure facing down. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat for a couple of minutes. After the time, turn the bread over with a spatula and cook for one minute with the lid and another minute or so without. This way the bread will cook evenly. Proceed in this way with all the dough balls.
The cheese Naan bread is ready! Brush the surface with extra virgin olive oil and chopped parsley and serve.
Variations and tips for cheese Naan bread
Cheese Naan bread can be stored for up to one day. Before enjoying it, heat it again in the pan for a few minutes.
FAQ Questions and Answers for cheese Naan bread
Can the bread be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze it by placing it in appropriate freezer bags.
