Matnakash: Bread “Drawn by Fingers”

In a small bakery on Gorki Street in the Armenian city of Gyumri, we watched bakers make matnakash. Slightly thicker and lighter than focaccia, with lines running across the surface, matnakash translates to “drawn by fingers,” and it’s often served alongside lavash. Want to see what we're talking about? Watch our video!

A few more notes: To create the signature shape, use your hands to press a grid into the center of the dough and then stretch the bread into an oval before loading it in the oven. In between the shaping steps, the bakers let the dough rest in a thick layer of wheat bran for several minutes, which keeps the base from sticking to the counter. For the best results, follow the gram measurements for flour and water.