Laffa

{{Short description|Iraqi flatbread}} {{redirects|Lafa|the Ethiopian village and homonymous rock church| Mizane Birhan}} {{Infobox prepared food | name = Laffa | image = File:Laffa.jpg | caption = Laffa grilled over coals | alternate_name = Lafa, lapha, Iraqi pita | country = Iraq,<ref name="marks">{{cite book |last1=Marks |first1=Gil |title=The Encyclopedia of Jewish Food}}</ref><ref name="soul">{{cite book |last1=Solomonov |first1=Michael |title=Israeli Soul |publisher=HMH}}</ref> Israel | region = | course = | type = Flatbread | served = | main_ingredient = Flour, water, yeast, olive oil, kosher salt | variations = | calories = | other = | place_of_origin = Iraq }}

'''Laffa''', also known as '''lafa''' or '''Iraqi pita,''' is the Modern Hebrew term for a large, thin flatbread with an Iraqi origin.<ref name=":0" /> Laffa is a simple bread that is traditionally vegan<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Discovering tear-and-scoop laffa bread | date=22 June 2020 |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/food/article/2020/06/22/discovering-tear-and-scoop-laffa-bread#:~:text=Around%20the%20world%2C%20laffa%20is,the%20two%20staple%20street%20foods}}</ref> and cooked in a ''tannur'' or ''tabun'', both of which are clay ovens. It is most often used to wrap falafel, kebab, and shawarma to make sandwiches, to dip in hummus, matbucha and other dips, or with shakshouka, and other dishes. It is also the traditional bread used in sabich, an Israeli eggplant sandwich.<ref name="zahav">{{cite book |last1=Solomonov |first1=Michael |title=Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking |publisher=HMH}}</ref><ref name="marks" />

Laffa is similar to many tandoor breads found in Asia, including naan and pita.<ref name="soul" /> Though they are similar, laffa is unique in that it does not form a pocket and is much thicker and chewier than pita or naan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What is the difference between Laffa and pita?|url=https://greedhead.net/what-is-the-difference-between-laffa-and-pita/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241211072933/https://greedhead.net/what-is-the-difference-between-laffa-and-pita/|archive-date=December 11, 2024|url-status=dead|access-date=April 18, 2022}}</ref>

==History==

[[File:PileofpitaS.jpg|thumb|right|Laffas for sale at the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem ]]

Laffa is known as Iraqi pita, given its origin in Iraq.<ref name=":0" /> Members of the Jewish community of Iraq, almost all of whom came to Israel via Operation Ezra and Nehemiah in the mid-20th century, brought with them the standard Iraqi flatbread known in Baghdad Jewish Arabic as ''ʿēsh tannūr'', ''ḫobz al-tannūr'', or simply ''khubz'' "bread".<ref name=":1" /> Laffa was traditionally baked in communal outdoor wood or coal-fired ovens and served as an accompaniment to myriad dishes.<ref name="zahav" /><ref name="marks" />

== Etymology ==

The word ''laffa'' ({{langx|acm|لفة}}) is of Arabic origin, meaning "wrap" or "roll".<ref name="marks" /><ref>{{cite news |title=A belly laffa |url=https://www.jpost.com/arts-and-culture/a-belly-laffa |access-date=25 September 2025 |work=The Jerusalem Post |date=3 September 2009 |language=en}}</ref>

==Preparation==

Laffa is prepared by creating a dough typically made up of flour, water, yeast, salt, sugar, and olive oil and combined over a long fermentation process. The dough is kneaded and then often left to rise for several hours or overnight. It is then divided into several balls of dough, which are then left to rise again. Afterwards, the dough is then rolled out into a large, thin piece, much thinner than a pita, and cooked for several minutes until it has risen slightly and cooked through.<ref name="zahav" /><ref name="marks" /> For the cooking process, laffa was traditionally baked in a wood- or coal-fired oven, similar to a tandoor. In modern times a pizza oven, outdoor grill, stovetop, frying pan, or oven is more often used. After baking, laffa is often finished with olive oil and za'atar.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cooking With Michael Solomonov: Hummus Laffa Bread | website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlIVvX4kcLk}} {{Dead link|date=January 2026}} </ref>

While laffa and pita are similar in appearance, different leavening processes creates significantly different outcomes. Pita only undergoes moderate leavening, while laffa can be fermented days on end. This leads pita to have a thinner and crispier texture while laffa is much thicker and chewier.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Nish Nush: Laffa Bread |date=23 March 2022 |url=https://www.nishnushnyc.com/2022/03/23/laffa-bread/}}</ref>

== Culinary use == Laffa's simplicity makes it an ideal pairing for various dishes. In particular, its durable texture makes it suitable for dipping, and it is frequently paired with dips such as hummus and other mezes. It is the traditional bread used in sabich and is also commonly used to wrap sandwiches such as falafel, shawarma, ground meat kebabs, and others.<ref name="marks" />

Laffa has distinct regional variations. In Iraq, any sandwich or wrap made with this bread is called a ''laffa.'' The name refers to the bread it is wrapped in.<ref name="marks" /> In Israel, laffa is often used as a general term. For instance, Israelis may refer to both taboon bread and the thinner saj bread as "laffa".<ref name="marks" />

==See also== *Falafel *Markook shrek *Saj bread (also known as yufka)

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links==

* {{Wiktionary inline|לאפה}}

Category:Israeli breads Category:Mizrahi Jewish cuisine Category:Jewish breads Category:Flatbreads Category:Sandwiches Category:Iraqi-Jewish culture in Israel