These Afghan style stuffed flatbreads are so easy to make and so delicious! You’ll be making loads of different variations of them in no time. We love this simple leek version which is just seasoned with salt and lots of black pepper, but of course you can stuff them however you like. I have seen recipes with potato and fresh coriander stuffing which look amazing. Serve them as a light lunch with a yoghurt and herb dip or alongside my Afghan kidney bean curry.
Liz x
Ingredients (makes 8)
- 2 leeks
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- salt & black pepper to taste (go heavy on the black pepper)
- 3 small mugs of flour
- a pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small mug of water
- vegetable oil for frying
Method
- Start by making the dough. Mix the flour, salt, olive oil and water together in a mixing bowl until it comes into a rough ball. Then turn out onto a clean work surface and knead until smooth and stretchy. This should take around 8 minutes. if your dough is too dry, wet your hands to incorporate a little more water. The dough should be firm, not sticky. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel to rest for at least 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the filling. Cut the leeks in half, lengthways, keeping the root end intact. Rinse the leeks under a running tap and ensure you get the mud out of all the layers. Then trim the dried end and root end off and cut into cm strips. Yes, even the darker green part, don’t waste it! Fry the leeks in a pan with the vegetable oil, salt and pepper until they soften and start to colour. Taste and adjust the seasoning as you like. These are especially good when they are really peppery! Let the mixture cool down while you cut and roll the dough.
- Remove the rested dough from the bowl and cut into 8 even pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then, using a rolling pin, roll into thin circles around 20cm wide. Place the leek stuffing on one half of the circle, leaving the edges free for sealing, then fold the dough over and seal, pressing the air out of one side before sealing all around the edge. Repeat for all the dough and space out on a clean, dry work surface so they don’t stick together.
- Heat a frying pan to medium-low with a little vegetable oil. Fry the bolani on both sides until blistered and golden brown. I like to turn them often and move them around to ensure all the edges are evenly cooked. Cut in half and serve warm with dips or curry.
