The Pan-Fried Stuffed Naan Bread was a wonderful discovery on a day when I needed quick and tasty bread, to eat alone or with cold cuts. My recipe is inspired by the traditional Indian bread that generally accompanies tandoori chicken but slightly revised to my taste. It’s easy, quick, and impressive…and no oven is needed!
For other quick recipes, check these out
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 6
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Fusion
- Energy 578.05 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 100.35 (g) of which sugars 6.47 (g)
- Proteins 25.56 (g)
- Fat 9.37 (g) of which saturated 0.13 (g)of which unsaturated 0.54 (g)
- Fibers 7.74 (g)
- Sodium 1,186.80 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 5 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
The ingredients for the pan-fried stuffed naan bread are very few: flour, water, yeast, salt…and yogurt! This is the ingredient that makes the bread soft and elastic, suitable for holding the filling even in larger quantities than what I used. The pan-fried stuffed naan bread can be made using either instant yeast or sourdough surplus. In the latter case, I adjusted the liquids and flour, as you can see in the ingredient list. We will then see in the procedure the difference in the dough.
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup water (warm)
- 1 1/4 tsp instant yeast for savory preparations
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup potatoes (boiled and mashed)
- 3.5 oz smoked provola cheese
- 2 tsp chives
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 oz stracchino cheese
- 2 tsp chives
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup sourdough (surplus)
- 1/2 cup 2% Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
Tools
- 1 Bowl
- 2 Salad Bowls
- 1 Sieve
- 1 Tea Towel
- 1 Work Surface
- 1 Fork
- 1 Dough Scraper
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Teaspoon
- 1 Pan
- 1 Plate
Steps
The first step to making the pan-fried stuffed naan bread is to sift the flours and mix them together. This is especially true if you choose a flour mix as I did; otherwise, just sift and then place the flour in the stand mixer or food processor or Thermomix (or a simple bowl, as this dough is easy to make).
In the bowl, pour the flour and the Greek yogurt
Add half of the water and start kneading
Add the salt to a very rough dough and continue working the dough.
Dissolve the instant yeast in the remaining water and add everything to the dough. The result will be a very soft consistency, it’s normal!
Once you have an elastic and soft dough, make a ball and let it rest covered with a tea towel while preparing the filling. Depending on the type of flour, you might need more water than I used; my advice is to keep aside 20 grams to use if needed.
To make the dough for the stuffed naan bread with sourdough surplus, the ingredients are the same but the order is different. The first thing is to dissolve the surplus in half of the water and then add the yogurt.
When the mixture is smooth and soft, add the flour little by little and finish with the water to which the salt has been added. The dough should always be soft and a bit sticky. Form a ball and cover it before making the small balls.
While the dough rests, you need to prepare the filling, which can also be made differently from how I did it.
In a bowl, start to mash the already cold potatoes with a fork to make a puree. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher.
Add the chosen melting cheese: scamorza, provolone, mozzarella for pizza, smoked provola are all possible candidates!
Finish with the fresh chives chopped and the salt and mix well.
The naan bread that accompanies tandoori chicken in India is stuffed with a layer of fresh cheese and spices. So I decided to mix stracchino and chives to fill two of the breads I cooked.
Once the filling is ready, take the dough and portion it. I made 6 balls of about 100 grams each, but you can also make smaller ones, about 70/80 grams.
On the work surface lightly dusted with semolina, roll out with the rolling pin to create a fairly thin square, about 1/8 inch thick.
Place two/three teaspoons of filling in the center depending on whether you want a richer bread or not.
Spread the filling with the back of the teaspoon to make a small square.
At this point, start closing the edges of the dough by bringing them towards the center as if forming an envelope.
Seal the edges well to prevent the filling from leaking out.
Gently roll over the stuffed naan bread with the rolling pin to distribute the filling evenly.
On a medium flame burner, place a pan greased with a little oil or a touch of butter.
When hot, gently place the stuffed naan bread and cover with a lid. After about 3 minutes, a crust will form; turn the bread over, brush it with oil, and cook on the other side. Repeat the process twice if necessary. The consistency should be soft but with a nice crust.
Place each naan bread on a plate as it finishes cooking and sprinkle a bit of chives on top.
Once cooked, stack the cooked stuffed naan bread on top of each other to keep them warm until you’re done cooking.
The same filling and cooking process applies to any other filling. Tearing apart the stuffed naan bread with your hands and seeing how it stretches before eating it was a wonderful experience!
Storage and Tips
The pan-fried stuffed naan bread keeps for a couple of days in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. When ready to eat, just heat it up in a pan or air fryer to release its full aroma. This bread is very convenient for picnics, appetizers, couch nights, snacks… basically, all those times we feel like eating with our hands! If you liked this recipe, I look forward to your feedback under the dedicated reel on Instagram!
