We LOVE jingalov hats. And its popularity seems to be picking up in the States and elsewhere. This shockingly vegan dish of chopped greens stuffed in a flatbread has been the Republic of Artsakh’s best kept secret until recent years. We first fell in love with it when we were taken to the Artsakh capital of Stepanakert back in 2015, at the city’s central bazaar where a team of ladies making jingalov hats hold court.

In the video below, Kate Leahy holds a tutorial on how to make jingalov hats at home, with greens you can find in your local supermarket.

The recipe can be found below the video.

This recipe, and others, can also be found in our cookbook Lavash.

Jingalov Hats - flatbreads filled with greens

When making jingalov hats, you want to get a nice mix of greens depending on what you have around you. It can be anything from radish greens to chard, as long as you have a diverse mix of flavors. To get the best mix of greens out of what’s available near you, see Jingalov Hats Herbs and Greens at the bottom of this recipe. For more on filling and shaping the bread, watch the video.

Ingredients

Dough

⅔ cup [160 ml] lukewarm water
1 tsp kosher salt
1½ cups [210 g] all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Filling

8 heaping cups [440 g] finely sliced greens and herbs (see bottom of recipe for suggestions)
2 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1½ Tbsp sunflower oil or other neutral oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Preparation

To make the dough, in a large bowl, combine the water and salt. Add the flour gradually with your hands to incorporate. Knead briefly in the bowl. (It’s okay if it’s slightly sticky at this point.)
Dust the counter with flour. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead until it is just starting to become smooth, about 4 minutes. Roll the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let it rest while you chop the greens and herbs. It will soften and become smoother as it rests.
After at least 20 minutes (or up to an hour), place the dough on the floured counter and divide it into four equal pieces, about 3 oz [85 g] each. To shape the dough, cup the palm of your hand over one portion at a time and move your hand in a circle. The friction from the counter will help form the dough into a ball. If there is too much flour on the surface and the dough is sliding around, give the counter a spritz of water and try again.
To make the filling, mix the greens with the green onions, paprika, salt, red pepper flakes, oil, and lemon juice, mixing well with your hands to ensure everything is seasoned.
To shape the jingalov hats, lightly dust the counter with flour. Pat a ball of dough into a round. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin circle about 8 in [20 cm] in diameter.
Place about 2 cups [110 g] of the filling in the center of the dough circle. Pick up two sides of the circle and pinch them together over the center of the filling. Continue to pinch the edges together from top to bottom so that the middle is wide and the ends form points. When you get to the end, tuck in the tip so it’s sealed but ensure that there is filling all the way to the tip.
Firmly press the seam to seal. Turn over and flatten so it resembles a deflated football, then use a rolling pin to flatten further.
To griddle, heat a 20 in [50 cm] cast-iron griddle or overturned wok over medium-high heat. Place the filled dough, seam-side down, in the center. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 2½ to 3 minutes, until it is evenly brown.
Flip over and continue to cook on the remaining side for another 2 minutes. If the dough still seems a little pale or raw, adjust the heat to medium-high and continue to cook the flatbread, flipping it over now and again so it cooks evenly.
Using a spatula, transfer the cooked flatbread to a serving platter and repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Alternatively, cool completely and freeze for up to 2 months. Jingalov hats can be reheated by popping them in the oven at 400ºF [200ºC] for about 10 minutes, or until hot and crispy on the edges. Otherwise, extra jingalov hats keep for a day at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Jingalov Hats Herbs and Greens

NEUTRAL OR EARTHY - You want about 4 cups from this sectionSlice thick stem ends separately and very thinly.

Beet greens
Chard
Collards
Purslane
Spinach
Turnip greens (if nice and fresh)

HERBAL - You want about 2 cups from this section. Slice herb stems with leaves, only removing stems if tough.

Chervil
Cilantro (be generous)
Dill
Flat-leaf parsley (be generous)
Tarragon (go easy)

SOUR - You want about 2 cups from this section. When necessary, slice thick stem ends separately and very thinly.

Dandelion greens
Radish tops
Sorrel
Arugula (but go light)
Watercress