About this Dish
Uzbekistan's sacred bread — a large, round flatbread with a distinctive stamped pattern in the centre, baked in a tandoor oven. Non is so revered in Uzbek culture that it is never placed face down and must never be thrown away. Broken by hand, never cut. Offered to guests as the first expression of hospitality. The sesame-topped non of Samarkand is considered the finest in Central Asia.
IngredientsServes 4
🌾Strong white bread flour, 500g
💧Warm water, 300ml
🧂Salt, 1 tsp
🍬Sugar, 1 tsp
🫧Instant dried yeast, 7g (1 sachet)
🥛Warm whole milk, 50ml
🧈Melted butter or cottonseed oil, 2 tbsp
🌿Sesame seeds, 2 tbsp (white or a mix of white and black)
🥚Egg yolk, 1, beaten with 1 tbsp water for glazing
Method
1
Combine the yeast and sugar in the warm water and leave for 5 minutes until frothy. In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt, then add the yeast mixture, warm milk, and melted butter, stirring until a shaggy dough forms.2
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead firmly for 10 minutes until smooth and slightly tacky but not sticky. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a clean cloth, and leave in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size.3
Punch down the dough and shape it into a smooth ball. Flatten it with your hands into a round disc about 25–28cm wide, making the edges noticeably thicker than the centre — this characteristic thick border is essential to authentic non.4
Place the round on a flour-dusted baking tray or pizza stone and press the centre firmly down with your knuckles or the back of a glass to create a shallow, wide indent. Use a chekish (bread stamp) or the tines of a fork to prick a decorative pattern all over the centre — this stops it puffing up and gives non its iconic look.5
Cover loosely and rest for 20 minutes while you preheat your oven to its highest setting, ideally 250°C (230°C fan). If you have a pizza stone or heavy baking tray, heat it in the oven at the same time to mimic the fierce heat of a tandoor.6
Brush the entire surface generously with the egg yolk glaze, then scatter sesame seeds over the centre and rim. Slide the non onto the hot stone or tray and bake for 12–15 minutes until deep golden brown with a firm, hollow-sounding base.7
Remove from the oven and wrap in a clean cloth for 5 minutes to soften the crust slightly. Break by hand at the table and serve warm — never cut it, and always place it face-up in honour of the Uzbek tradition surrounding this sacred bread.User Reviews
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