Non / flat onion breads (central asia)

Yield: 16 Servings

Ingredients:

6 tb Butter
1 1/2 c Onions -- finely chopped
3/4 c Water -- lukewarm
1 ts Salt
3 c All-purpose flour

Instructions:

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a heavy 10 to 12 inch skillet set over high heat. Add the onions reduce the heat to low and stirring occasionally cook 3 to 5 minutes or until the onions are soft but not brown. Transfer them to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Melt the remaining butter in the skillet and pour it into a large bowl. Add the lukewarm (110 - 115 F) water and with a large spoon stir in the chopped onions salt and 2 1/2 cups of flour 1/2 cup at a time. If necessary beat in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup of the flour as you need to make a dough that does not stick to your fingers. Gather the dough into a large compact ball and divide it into 16 pieces. With the palms of your hands shape each piece of dough into a 1 1/2 to 2 inch ball. Then with a lightly floured rolling pin roll out the balls one at a time into circles that are about 8 inches in diameter. Set the rounds of dough aside. Set a heavy 10- to 12-inch ungreased pan over high heat. When it is hot enough for a drop of water flicked across its surface to instantly evaporate place one round of dough in the center. Brown for 3 or 4 minutes on each side turning it over with your fingers or a wide spatula; do not be concerned if the bread does not brown evenly. Transfer the bread to a rack to dry and proceed to fry and dry the remaining dough similarly. Serve the bread in a basket or other porous container. If for any reason the bread becomes limp after a day or so place the rounds in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake them for 5 to 10 minutes in a preheated 250F oven until they freshen. Recipe By : Time-Life Foods of the World - Russian Cooking