Anton Edelmann's Armenian bread – by William Curley

This unleavened bread, unique to the Savoy, is served as a highly flavoured wafer, much as Melba toast was served at the Savoy in its early days.

 

 

	Anton Edelmann's Armenian bread

INGREDIENTS Stage 1 4kg T55 flour
120g garlic salt

 

Stage 2 2 litres water
1.2 litres olive oil

 

Stage 3 1.2 litres water
1.2 litres olive oil
120g garlic salt
80g garlic powder
2 onions (peeled and sliced)

 

METHOD

 

Sieve T55 flour and garlic salt together. Add the water and olive oil and, using a dough hook in a food processor, mix until it becomes elastic. It takes about 10 minutes.

 

Divide into 500g pieces. Put in a bowl to rest for 10 minutes. Place the dough on to greased trays (600mm x 400mm). Using your fingertips, stretch out the dough to cover the tray, being careful not to split it while stretching. After stretching the contents on each tray, keep in a moist place (proving cabinet) to avoid drying out before cutting.

 

Mix together the water, olive oil, garlic salt and garlic powder, then brush each tray with the mix. Using cutting wheels, divide the dough into squares and in each square place a piece of sliced onion.

 

Bake at 220ºC for about eight minutes. Allow to cool, and store in a dry place. Armenian bread is best served on the day it is prepared.

 

William Curley

 

Photo © Adrian Franklin