It is a traditional, thin bread that plays a central role in Armenian cuisine. Lavash is traditionally prepared by small groups of women, requiring significant effort, coordination, experience, and specialty skills.
Lavash is typically leavened and baked in a tandoor or on a sajj. The most common types of lavash are found in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, and Turkey, along with the cuisines of the South Caucasus, Western Asia, and the areas surrounding the Caspian Sea. In modern kitchens, lavash is commonly baked on a griddle or wok rather than a tandoor.
In Gil Marks's book, the origins of lavash can be traced to the early invention of terracotta griddles. The earliest forms of bread were made as cakes either on heated rocks or in embers, but griddles had to be used instead to fully cook through bread without burning. The invention of early ovens made thicker loaves possible. With the invention of the oven, the lavash recipe has continued to evolve.
Using simply wheat flour and water, the dough is kneaded and formed into balls. The balls are then rolled into thin layers and covered with an oval cushion, which is slapped against the wall of the traditional conical clay oven. After thirty seconds to a minute, the baked bread can be pulled from the oven wall and preserved for up to six months.
To preserve dried lavash in Armenian villages, it is stacked on top of fresh lavash, and when the time has come to rehydrate the bread, it is sprinkled with water to soften it again. The dried lavash is broken up into khash, and fresh lavash is used to wrap dishes such as khorovats, which are a specialty dish of Armenia. They are usually filled with cheese and herbs.
Lavash is commonly served wrapped around local cheeses, greens, or meats, and its preservation can last up to six months. As the flour is baked, it plays a ritual role in weddings, being placed on young girls' shoulders to bring fertility and prosperity. Baking the lavash together strengthens family, community, and social ties, as the girls gradually become more involved in the process.
Lavash making is also a male-dominated profession where men make cushions and build ovens and pass their skills on to students and apprentices in order to maintain its vitality and sustainability.
It is also a common theme in art that Armenian painters have often drawn inspiration from women baking lavash. Today, the lavash can be used in modern recipes instead of pizza dough.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/lavash-the-preparation-meaning-and-appearance-of-traditional-bread-as-an-expression-of-culture-in-armenia-00985) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavash)