Persian Barbari Bread

Pareve

Barbari is the king of Persian flatbreads — large, golden, ridged with deep scores, and glazed with a flour paste called roomal that gives it an extraordinary crispy, almost lacquered surface. For Iranian Jews, barbari was the bread of Friday morning, bought still warm from the sangak bakery and served with feta cheese, walnuts, fresh herbs, and sweet tea.

The dough is simple and lean, but the roomal glaze is what sets barbari apart from every other flatbread. This thin paste of flour and water, sometimes with a touch of baking soda, is brushed onto the scored surface just before baking. In the oven’s heat, it creates a glossy, crackling crust that shatters when you tear into it, revealing a soft, chewy interior studded with air bubbles.

Shape it long and oval, score it with your fingertips in parallel ridges, scatter nigella and sesame seeds into the grooves, and bake on a hot stone. The result is a flatbread of remarkable beauty — amber and gold, ridged like a field plowed in rows, and perfuming your kitchen with the scent of toasted wheat and sesame.

What Makes This Special

• Roomal glaze — The distinctive flour-paste coating that creates barbari’s signature crackling crust.
• Scored ridges — Deep fingertip channels that crisp up and hold toppings.
• Persian Jewish tradition — The Friday morning bread of Iranian Jewish households.
• Dramatic presentation — Large, golden, and stunning on a breakfast spread.

Ingredients

Dough

Roomal Glaze

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Mix and Knead

Combine flour, sugar, salt, yeast. Add water and oil. Knead 8–10 minutes until smooth. This is a wet, extensible dough.

Step 2: Rise

Cover and rise 1½–2 hours until doubled.

Step 3: Make the Roomal

Whisk flour, water, baking soda, and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened to a thin paste (2–3 minutes). Cool slightly.

Step 4: Shape

Preheat oven to 230°C / 450°F with a baking stone. Divide dough in half. On oiled parchment, stretch each piece into an oval about 35 × 15 cm (14 × 6 in). Using oiled fingertips, press deep parallel ridges lengthwise across the surface, about 2 cm apart. Brush generously with roomal glaze. Sprinkle sesame and/or nigella seeds into the grooves.

Step 5: Bake

Slide onto the hot stone. Bake 12–15 minutes until deeply golden and the glaze is crackling and glossy. The ridges should be crispy and the valleys soft. Serve immediately.

Storage & Make-Ahead

• Best served: Immediately. Barbari is a fresh bread, meant to be eaten within hours.
• Reheating: Toast slices or warm whole in a 200°C oven for 3–4 minutes.
• Freezing: Wrap and freeze up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in hot oven.

Troubleshooting

Frequently Asked Questions

What is roomal?

Roomal (also romanized as romal) is a cooked flour-and-water paste brushed on barbari before baking. It creates the signature glossy, crackling crust. The baking soda helps with browning.

What seeds should I use?

Traditional toppings include sesame seeds, nigella seeds (ketzach/shoresh), or a combination. Some bakers add poppy seeds as well.

Can I make this without a baking stone?

Yes. Use an inverted baking sheet preheated in the oven. The crust will not be quite as crispy but the bread will still be excellent.

What do Iranian Jews serve with barbari?

Traditional accompaniments include feta cheese, walnuts, fresh herbs (mint, basil, tarragon), jam, and sweet tea. It is also served with eggs and tomatoes for a Persian-style breakfast.