Lavash dough calculator
Armenian lavash rolled paper-thin: a lean dough with a tiny yeast dose.
Armenian lavash from the definitive English-language reference — the “Lavash” cookbook of Kate Leahy and Ara Zada: a lean 61% dough with a tiny, prefermented yeast dose, rolled to paper thinness and cooked in about a minute a side.
How it works
The old-dough preferment
A small piece of the dough — carrying the formula’s entire 0.2% yeast — ferments ahead for 1.5–2 hours (or overnight in the fridge) before joining the main mix. It is the traditional stand-in for a sourdough heel passed between bakes, and it is all the leavening lavash needs.
A lean, extensible dough
Water 61%, oil 2.5%, salt 1.4% — then a 1–1.5 hour proof of the divided balls (~105 g each). The long rest matters more than kneading: lavash must roll out to a 33 × 23 cm oval nearly thin enough to read through, without tearing or springing back.
A minute of heat
Traditionally slapped onto the tonir wall; at home, an inverted wok or a big dry griddle over high heat: about a minute on the first side, thirty seconds on the second, until freckled and pliable. Stack and cover — or let them dry fully into crisp sheets, the other traditional state.
Sources & methodology
Every percentage in this calculator traces to the published sources below — nothing is invented. Where respected sources disagree, the default sits inside the documented range.
- Kate Leahy & Ara Zada, “Lavash” (read via Jennifer Guerrero) — The definitive English-language lavash reference: 61% water, 2.5% oil, an old-dough preferment, rolled paper-thin.
FAQ
Soft or crisp — which is authentic?
Both. Fresh lavash is soft and wraps anything; dried lavash keeps for weeks and is revived with a sprinkle of water. Armenian households traditionally bake in bulk and store it dry.
Why is my lavash tearing when I roll it?
Underrested dough or too much flour worked in. Give the balls their full proof, roll on a barely floured surface, and rotate often — patience substitutes for the professional’s throwing technique.
Can I bake it in an oven?
The book’s home adaptations run an upturned wok, a cast-iron griddle, or a grill (25 seconds a side). Whatever the surface, the recipe is heat plus thinness plus speed.
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