تافتون

What it means

تافتون (tâftun) is a soft, thin, round flatbread, a staple of Iranian bakeries. Its name traces back to the native Persian verb تافتن (tâftan), meaning to heat or to bake, since the dough is pressed onto the scorching wall of a tandoor oven until it puffs and bakes. Unlike سنگک (sangak), which is thicker and baked on a bed of pebbles, taftun is thinner and smoother, with a tender, slightly chewy texture.

How to use it

• یه تافتون تازه بگیر. (ye tâftun-e tâze begir.) “Get a fresh taftun.”
• تافتون با پنیر خیلی خوشمزه‌ست. (tâftun bâ panir kheyli khoshmazast.) “Taftun with cheese is very tasty.”
• نونوایی سر کوچه تافتون می‌پزه. (nunvâyi-ye sar-e kuche tâftun mipaze.) “The bakery on the corner bakes taftun.”
• تافتون رو گرم بخور. (tâftun ro garm bokhor.) “Eat the taftun while it is warm.”

Cultural note

Taftun is one of the four classic Iranian breads, alongside sangak, barbari, and lavash. It is sold warm and stacked at neighborhood bakeries called نونوایی (nunvâyi), often eaten at breakfast with cheese, butter, and herbs, or used to scoop up stews. Because it is thin and folds easily, it is also a popular choice to eat alongside kababs.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab