matnakash

{{short description|Armenian bread}}

{{Infobox prepared food

| name = Matnakash

| image = Matnakash.JPG

| image_size = 250px

| caption =

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| country = Armenia

| region =

| associated_cuisine = Armenian cuisine

| creator =

| course =

| type = Bread

| served =

| main_ingredient = Wheat flour; yeast or sourdough starter

| variations =

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}}

Matnakash ({{langx|hy|մատնաքաշ}}) is a leavened traditional Armenian bread. The word matnakash means "finger draw" or "finger pull", referring to the way the bread is prepared. It is made of wheat flour with yeast or sourdough starter. It is shaped into oval or round loaves with longitudinal or criss-crossed scoring. The characteristic golden or golden-brown color of its crust is achieved by coating the surface of the loaves with sweetened tea essence before baking.Matnakash recipe on [http://www.armenia.ee/Cocking/Hac_html/H002.htm Armenian Portal in Estonia] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20041104034923/http://www.armenia.ee/Cocking/Hac_html/H002.htm |date=2004-11-04 }}. {{in lang|ru}}

Matnakash is also popular in places with large Armenian populations as a result of the Armenian diaspora.