Barbari, Persian flatbread with sesame

Name: Barbari, Persian flatbread with sesame
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 500g strong white bread flour; 7g fast action dried yeast; 1.5 tsp fine salt; 1 tsp caster sugar; 330ml warm water; 1 tbsp plain flour, for the glaze; 100ml water, for the glaze; 1 tbsp white sesame seeds; 1 tsp nigella seeds

Long, thick Persian bread with a crisp golden crust and soft inside, finished with a glossy flour glaze and sesame seeds.

Time2 hrs
LevelMedium
Costabout £0.15 a head
Oven230°C (210°C fan)

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

4 loaves

Ingredients

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500 gstrong white bread flour
7 gfast action dried yeast
1½ tspfine salt
1 tspcaster sugar
330 mlwarm water
1 tbspplain flourfor the glaze
100 mlwaterfor the glaze
1 tbspwhite sesame seeds
1 tspnigella seeds

Method

1
Mix the bread flour, yeast, salt and sugar. Add the warm water and mix to a sticky dough. Knead for 8 minutes.
2
Cover and leave for 1 hour until doubled.
60 min
3
Whisk the plain flour and 100 ml water in a small pan. Heat gently, stirring, until it thickens like thin paste. Cool.
4
Heat the oven to 230°C (210°C fan) with two baking trays inside. Divide the dough into 4 and stretch each into a long oval about 30 cm.
5
Brush with the glaze. Press your fingers along the length to make deep grooves. Scatter over the seeds.
6
Slide onto the hot trays and bake for 12 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
12 min
7
Cool slightly and serve warm, torn, with cheese and herbs.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.