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Barbari Bread

Kokh Leffle
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Kokh Leffle

Kokh Leffle

Posted
Posted

When I am in southern California I always stock up on Barbari bread whenever I find myself near an Armenian bakery in Glendale or along east Santa Monica Boulevard. This is wonderful flat bread about one to one and half inches high. It has a crisp crust and a soft chewy interior. It freezes well and is a bargain at about $ 1.00 a loaf. Needless to say I have not found anything like it here in Ontario.

There is a recipe for Nan-e Barbari floating around the net that I’ve tried but I think it’s a Persian bread and it’s not what I am looking for.

The bread I’m trying to replicate looks like This

If anyone can teach me how to bake this, I will be forever indebted.

Elie

Eliahu Yeshua

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.

- Alice May Brock

Kokh Leffle

Kokh Leffle

Posted
  • Topic Starter
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GG

The second link looks like a bread with a similar name but is the Persian version available elsewhere on the net. Similar name but not what I’m looking for.

The picture at Kyle’s Kitchen looks closer to what I want to duplicate. I have seen it before and I contacted Kyle through his site, using the link supplied where he asked for suggestions. I complimented his great pictures and suggested that he might consider including recipes or a reference to recipes. I received an irate reply explaining that he would not share recipes as he received help from others. Thinking that I may have been misunderstood I sent back a reply extending the olive branch and again complimented his work. I suggested that perhaps others wouldn’t mind sharing their recipes if they were given credit. I never heard from Kyle again. As far as I am concerned his site is a showcase of his exploration into bread baking. Its okay for what it is but really does not contain much useful information. I am actually quite surprised as it’s been my experience that both professional and home cooks and bakers are eager to share and teach.

There! I’ve vented and I feel much better now. :biggrin:

Thanks for trying Melissa. Perhaps some other eGulleter is familiar with the Barbari loaf widely available in the Armenian community of Los Angeles.

Elie

Eliahu Yeshua

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.

- Alice May Brock

davedemi

davedemi

Posted
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When you're in T.O. next, there is a bakery on Danforth, between Donlands and Jones, on the south side, that sells only that bread...it's about $1 a loaf, too.

I don't remember it's name, but it's the only bakery on that block.

Gifted Gourmet

Gifted Gourmet

Posted
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Thanks for trying Melissa. Perhaps some other eGulleter is familiar with the Barbari loaf widely available in the Armenian community of Los Angeles.

Finding a loaf of highly esoteric Armenian Barbie Doll bread during Passover is no mean feat .. ask me something more general next time, Elie! :laugh:

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

Kokh Leffle

Kokh Leffle

Posted
  • Topic Starter
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I'm sure we've gone to the same stores in Santa Monica and Glendale.

I can get a recipe for you.

That guy sounds really weird.  :wacko:

I'm sure we have. I love shopping in ethnic stores and check them out all over LA whenever I happen to be near a new one. That Barbari bread can't be beat. I buy five or ten loaves at a time and always keep it on hand in my freezer.

If you could get a recipe for me I will be forever greartful :smile:

Eliahu Yeshua

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.

- Alice May Brock

Kokh Leffle

Kokh Leffle

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Finding a loaf of highly esoteric Armenian Barbie Doll bread during Passover is no mean feat .. ask me something more general next time, Elie!  :laugh:

I know it’s totally unfair of me Melissa. Celebrating the holiday with no matzo on hand has gotten the best of me. :rolleyes:

So do you know how to bake a KFP Barbari bread? :biggrin:

Eliahu Yeshua

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.

- Alice May Brock

Gifted Gourmet

Gifted Gourmet

Posted
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I have never baked bread ... I assume that all bread can be purchased at either a reputable bakery or grocery store.

Yeast kind of scares me :unsure: ... too hot? kills it .. too cold? it doesn't do anything ...

Yeast and I are not on speaking terms ... and I am no Lionel Poilane ... :hmmm:

Melissa Goodman aka "Gifted Gourmet"

chefzadi

chefzadi

Posted
Posted
Thanks for trying Melissa. Perhaps some other eGulleter is familiar with the Barbari loaf widely available in the Armenian community of Los Angeles.

I know this bread. But as far as I can recall it is the same bread available in Iranian markets.

Are you familiar with "Tehran Market" (something like that) on Wilshire Blvd in Santa Monica? We used to live a few blocks from there. And the bread was the same as the one's available in the Armenian places in Glendale. I didn't do a side by side comparison though.

I have a few Armenian students. One of them has parent's who own a kebab place, I will ask them for a recipe.

I can be reached via email chefzadi AT gmail DOT com

Dean of Culinary Arts

Ecole de Cuisine: Culinary School Los Angeles

http://ecolecuisine.com

Kokh Leffle

Kokh Leffle

Posted
  • Topic Starter
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I have a few Armenian students. One of them has parent's who own a kebab place, I will ask them for a recipe.

Merci Chefzadi

I have seen this very same bread in Iranian markets too. Although it’s only available in cello bags, which changes the crust from crisp to soft.

It never occurred to me to try and bake this myself, as it’s so readily available and so reasonably priced. But now that I am away from southern California I miss it and crave it.

I’m hopeful you’ll strike gold with your student.

Elie

Eliahu Yeshua

Tomatoes and oregano make it Italian; wine and tarragon make it French. Sour cream makes it Russian; lemon and cinnamon make it Greek. Soy sauce makes it Chinese; garlic makes it good.

- Alice May Brock

  • 6 months later...
KyleW

KyleW

Posted
Posted
I contacted Kyle through his site, using the link supplied where he asked for suggestions. I complimented his great pictures and suggested that he might consider including recipes or a reference to recipes. I received an irate reply explaining that he would not share recipes as he received help from others. ... As far as I am concerned his site is a showcase of his exploration into bread baking.

Elie

Hi Elie,

I may have sent an irate response, but I doubt it. I did likely decline to provide the recipe for barbari bread. Here is my thinking. I receive a great deal of help from people like Amy Scherber, Maggie GLezer and Peter Reinhart. These people derive a portion of their income from authoring books. If their books are available for purchase I do not feel comfortable sharing their work for free. Amy's book is currently out of print, so I feel less restricted. Peter's and Maggie's books are readily available.

The barbari recipe is from Maggie's most recent book, A Blessing of Bread. I have an extra attachment to this book as I was lucky enough to serve as one of her recipe testers. On another forum I was asked for one of the recipes. The thinking being that If people liked one recipe they were more likely to buy the book. I asked Maggie, who asked her publisher. THe publisher expressly forbid the sharing of recipes from the book.

I am a big believer in sharing and helping others. I have learned, and continue to learn, through the generosity of others. ANything that is mine to share I will share without hesitation or reservation. The recipes of others are not mine to share.

As to my sight being a showcase into my exploration of bread baking, BINGO!

I'm sorry if you misunderstood my email.

Kyle

Nuthin' says luvin'...

www.kyleskitchen.net

Swisskaese

Swisskaese

Posted
Posted (edited)

As far as I know Barbari is Persian bread, not Armenian. I think the Armenians call it Pedah. It is usually made in a round shape instead of a long shape like Barbari. This is not Pita bread. Hatz means bread in Armenian.

Here are a couple of links:

Pideh Hatz

Peda

Edited by Swisskaese (log)
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