Jingalov hats comes from Artsakh and is unlike any other bread. It's a thin, unleavened flatbread stuffed with a mixture of finely chopped fresh herbs — traditionally up to 20 different varieties. The result is flaky, aromatic, and intensely herby. Cooked dry on a hot pan, it's one of the most satisfying vegetarian dishes you'll ever eat.
The herb mix
Essential: spinach, green onions, cilantro, flat-leaf parsley, fresh dill, sorrel or sour grass.
Add as many as you can find: beet greens, Swiss chard, watercress, tarragon, mint, chives, basil, fenugreek leaves, lemon balm.
Total: about 4–5 cups finely chopped. The more variety, the better.
Dough
2 cups flour, ½ tsp salt, ¾ cup warm water, 1 tbsp olive oil. Knead 5 minutes until smooth. Rest 20 minutes covered. No yeast — this is an unleavened bread.
Make the filling
Finely chop all herbs. Mix with 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp olive oil, juice of ½ lemon, ½ tsp black pepper. Taste — it should be bright and vibrant. Don't cook the filling; it cooks inside the bread.
Assemble and cook
Divide dough into 6 balls. Roll each paper-thin into a rough oval. Pile a generous portion of herb mixture on one half, fold the other half over, pinch edges firmly to seal. Flatten gently with a rolling pin. Cook in a dry cast iron pan over medium-high heat 2–3 minutes per side until lightly charred in spots. No oil in the pan.
Serve
Eat immediately — jingalov hats is best straight off the pan. Serve with plain yogurt and Armenian tea. Cook only what you'll eat; it doesn't reheat well.