Armenian Flatbreads with a Serious Herb Kick

If you ask me, we could all use more flatbreads in our lives. I know I could—though after testing this recipe a number of times, my freezer is now officially a flatbread vault. They’re easy to make, and once you’ve got that blank dough canvas, you can let your imagination (and fillings) run wild. Today, I’m sharing these Armenian flatbreads called Zhingyalov Hats. The dough is pretty straightforward, and chopping the greens should be too—unless you decide to chop a whole kilo by hand. I made that mistake once.

The good news? A food processor does the job in seconds, and I’m never looking back.

They might remind you of the Algerian Mhajeb I made a while back, or of the popular Turkish street food Gözleme (a recipe will be in my book Naturally Vegan). But Zhingyalov Hats hit differently when it comes to the filling: a vast diversity of fresh herbs deliver a punch of flavor, slightly different with every bite—from bitter to sweet, from floral to earthy—all brightened up with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of chilli flakes. In Armenia, they sometimes pack in 20 different herbs for this. Now that is some serious dedication to flavor.

How Tuscany Stole My Heart (and My Appetite)

I remember the exact moment I fell in love with Tuscany.

It wasn’t the rolling hills surrounding the idyllic village of Monticchiello—though it might be a close contender. It wasn’t in Siena, when I climbed 332 stairs to the top of the Duomo—though I would have gladly climbed a thousand more for that view. No, it was in a small, well-loved trattoria called Cammillo, tucked just minutes away from the Ponte Vecchio in the heart of Firenze. The waiters, grinning, teased me about my opening line ("sono vegano"), but once I started rambling about why I loved Tuscany—especially its deep roots in Cucina Povera—the ice melted faster than gelato in a heatwave.

From that moment, plate after plate of traditional vegan dishes arrived at our table: Ribollita (find my recipe here), served so thick that you eat it with a fork; cannellini beans perfectly cooked and drizzled with nothing but generous glugs of good olive oil; pepperonata in a lip-smacking agrodolce sauce; chickpeas with sautéed greens, coated in the warm flavours of garlic and peperoncino. Every bite, a reminder that great food doesn’t have to be complicated.

So, my quest to cook more Tuscan dishes? Partly selfish. I want that feeling again—that warmth, that generosity, that magic of turning humble ingredients into something worth gathering around. But it’s also about shaking the idea that Italian food is just parmigiano, guanciale and prosciutto. That’s what led me to Bordatino alla Pisana—humble, hearty and proof that good food oftentimes just needs a few solid ingredients and a little patience, preferably with a good playlist and a drink in hand.

On the horizon

My first Türkiye episode will finally be up on my YouTube channel this weekend. A full episode packed with traditional food that happens to be vegan — think beans slow-cooked in a fiery sauce, vegetables braised in olive oil and an entire platter of street food snacks made with a paste of spiced bulgur and walnuts. Here’s a little sneak peek of what to expect from my visit to İstanbul.

Thanks so much for reading and see you next week, when I’ll also share my first exclusive recipe.

Much love,Julius