Qistibi

Qistibi is an unleavened flatbread that is usually stuffed with potatoes.

Qistibi is a popular traditional flatbread from Tatarstan and Bashkortostan in Russia. While its most popular filling is mashed potatoes, some do use meat sauce or millet as well.

Ingredients

For the flatbread

• 1 cup plain flour

• 1 tbsp butter at room temperature

• 1/4 tsp salt

• A generous pinch of soda bicarbonate

• 1/4 tsp sugar

• 2 tbsp plain yogurt (1 can replace with 1 egg)

• 4 tbsp milk

For the Filling

• 2 medium potatoes boiled and mashed

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 3-4 tbsp milk

• 1-2 tbsp butter

• 1 small onion finely chopped

• Butter for shallow frying

• Flour for dusting while rolling

Instructions

Preparation of the dough

1. Sift the flour, salt, sugar and baking soda in a bowl.

2. Add in the butter and gently rub it in the flour mixture.

3. Add the yogurt and milk to the flour and make a smooth dough.

4. Let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes.

Preparation of the mashed potatoes

1. Stir fry the chopped onion in little butter or oil.

2. Add salt, pepper, milk and butter to the finely mashed potatoes.

3. Add the onion to the potato mix and mix everything and let it cool.

Preparation of the Flatbread

1. Divide the dough into equal parts. Number of parts depends on the size you want to roll in.

2. Roll each ball into a thin circle around 7-8 inches in diameter, like a tortilla (as thin as possible)

3. Heat a pan on medium and cook the flatbread's for a min or two on each side until you see some bubbles

4. Keep the cooked flatbread in a clean kitchen towel.

5. Repeat the above steps with the remaining dough balls.

Assembling and Preparing the Qistibi

1. Heat the pan again over medium heat.

2. Divide the mashed potato mixture into as many parts as you have the flatbreads.

3. Take one flatbread and spread the mashed potato on half side of the flatbread. i.e. a half circle. Spread the mix as evenly and as thinly as possible.

4. Flip the other half on top of this like a quesadilla.

5. Heat a pan and lightly grease it with butter or oil

6. Shallow fry on the side on slow to medium heat until golden brown or cooked from bottom.

7. Apply some butter on the top, flip and cook it on the other side too until golden brown.

8. Repeat the above steps for the remaining flatbread.

9. Serve Qistibi warm with some tea or sour cream or some tangy chutney.

Original Recipe