Persian Barbari Bread
from https://www.bonappetit.com/

This popular bread is common in Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan, and the recipe varies a great deal from place to place. In Afghanistan, it is primarily made with whole wheat flour, but in Iran, it is often made with white flour. The dough is first shaped into a flat disk, allowed to sit for 15 minutes, and then "potholed" all over with very wet fingers. Then the wet dough is picked up and stretched, forming approximately the shape of a snowshoe, and immediately put into a hot oven.

Use this bread to put toppings on for breakfast such as feta cheese and serve with and a cup of aromatic Iranian cardamom tea, or appetizers or snacks. It's best baked on a hot baking stone or unglazed quarry tiles, but you can use a heated jelly roll pan about 18 X 12 inch. Don't grease the pan until you are about to put the bread on it and just grease lightly where the bread is to be placed on so the grease doesn't burn..

Considered to be one of the thickest flatbreads in the world, the key to making barbari at home is to preheat a pizza stone in a very hot oven. The result? A deep golden brown bottom crust.

1 ¼-ounce envelope active dry yeast (about 2¼ teaspoons)
1 teaspoon sugar
2½ teaspoons kosher salt
4 cups bread flour, plus more for surface
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus more for drizzling
2 teaspoons flaky sea salt
2 teaspoons nigella or poppy seeds
2 teaspoons white and/or black sesame seeds
Feta, tender herbs (such as mint, dill, cilantro, and/or parsley), and brined walnuts (for serving)

Special Equipment
A pizza stone

Combine yeast, sugar, and 1¾ cups warm water (110°–115°) in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Let stand until foamy, 5–10 minutes. Add kosher salt and 4 cups bread flour to bowl and mix on medium-low speed until a shaggy dough forms. Increase speed to medium and mix until dough is smooth and begins to slap the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. (The dough will stick to bottom of bowl.)

Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead dough, adding more bread flour as needed to prevent sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 4 minutes. Lightly coat a large bowl with nonstick spray and plop in dough; cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 60–75 minutes.

Punch down dough, divide in half, and form into 2 oblongs. Lightly flour a parchment-lined baking sheet (you don’t want it to have a rim) and arrange dough on top. Dust dough with more flour to help prevent any sticking and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature until nearly doubled in size, 30–45 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook all-purpose flour, baking soda, 1 tsp. oil, and ⅔ cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Let cool.
Place a rack in lower third of oven and set pizza stone on top; preheat to 450°. Let stone heat at least 20 minutes before cooking bread. (This will ensure that your bread gets a gloriously crispy bottom crust.)

Transfer 1 oblong to a work surface. Punch down remaining oblong on baking sheet and press and stretch to make a 14x6x½" rectangle with tapered ends; dust off any excess flour.

Mix sea salt, nigella seeds, and sesame seeds in a small bowl.

Dip your fingers in a bowl of water and press several lengthwise ridges into the dough (be careful not to punch through dough).

Brush dough with cooked flour mixture and sprinkle with half of the salt-and-seed mixture. Working quickly and with confidence, slide dough from baking sheet onto hot stone and bake until lightly golden brown on top and crusty, 15–18 minutes. Use baking sheet to transfer barbari from stone to a wire rack and let cool slightly. Repeat with remaining dough to make second loaf.

Serve bread warm with feta, herbs, and brined walnuts.
Do Ahead: Bread can be made 1 week ahead. Cut into pieces and freeze. Thaw and reheat in oven before serving.