Afghan Bolani - Potato Stuffed Flatbread (2024)

Ingredients

Scale

For the dough:

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour (500g)

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil (25g)

1 ¼ cups water (300g)

For the filling:

1 ½ pounds potatoes (680g)

2 cups, packed sliced green onion (140g)

2 cups, packed cilantro (60g)

½ cup chopped green pepper (60g) or to taste

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil (12g)

For cooking:

8 tablespoons vegetable oil (50g), or more as needed. *See note

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prepare the dough:

1. Combine flour, salt, and oil in the bowl of a food processor.

2. With the motor running, add water until the dough comes together in a ball. It should not be too sticky or too dry. You may use a little more or less water than 300g.

3. Remove the dough from the processor and give it a couple of kneads on the counter.

4. Wrap in plastic and let rest about 20 minutes.

Prepare the filling:

1. Wash potatoes and prick with a fork

2. Microwave until soft, approximately 10-15 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. Potatoes are done when you can easily pierce them with a knife and they feel soft. (Alternatively, you can peel, cube, and boil them until tender.)

3. When the potatoes are finished and cool enough to handle, remove the skins and coarsely mash with a fork. I keep it a little chunky for texture.

4. Roughly chop the cilantro.

5. In a skillet, heat olive oil and sauté green pepper for 1 minute.

6. Add green onion and sauté for 2 minutes.

7. Turn off the heat and stir in chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper.

8. Gently stir in the potatoes.

Roll the dough and fill:

1. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll into balls. Keep them covered on the counter while you roll them out.

2. Divide the filling into 8 equal portions.

3. Roll out a ball of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 8-9 inch circle.

4. Put a portion of filling on the top half of the circle, leaving a half inch border around the edges.

5. Fold the bottom half up over the top half and seal the edges, pressing firmly all around the edge to seal it shut.

6. Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.

Cook the stuffed flatbreads:

1. Heat a little oil in a large skillet on medium high.

2. Add one or two bolani to the pan and shallow fry on one side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. While the bottom is cooking, brush a little oil on the top of the flatbread.

3. Flip and cook on the other side until golden brown. Press down gently on the edges while cooking to ensure that they brown evenly.

4. Place cooked bolani on a cooling rack while the others finish to stay crispy. (If you put it on a plate immediately, it will lose crispness.)

5. Repeat with the remaining flatbreads.

Shallow frying in a few millimeters of oil so the oil is deep enough to touch the entire bottom of the bolani results in the crispiest flatbread with an even, golden crust and nicely browned edges. Pressing down on the edges so they touch the oil and tilting the pan occasionally also helps.

The calories as shown include 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil per bolani used during cooking. Use more oil, if desired, for a crispier texture.

Bolani can be served with coriander chutney or mint yogurt, but it's also delicious simply by itself.

For an easy shortcut, substitute flour tortillas instead of making homemade dough.