Flatbread, yeast free

A yeast-free flatbread that you can cook in a frying pan, in the oven or on the barbecue.

It is a ‘quick bread’, a bread for ‘now’. When kept overnight it is best toasted or added to a soup or salad.

You will achieve the softest flatbread using yoghurt with the addition of a little baking soda. Soda water is a good substitute for the yoghurt, while plain water will produce a crisper bread crust.

Flavouring your bread offers an interesting variations. Herbs, such as rosemary or thyme give fresh, light flavours; while spices like cumin or fennel are particularly good when serving the bread with a curry.

Ingredients

Preparation: 10 + 15 (resting time) + 15 mins (as you cook each flatbread) Cook: 3-5 mins each Serve: 4

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda (optional)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup Greek-style yoghurt or 1/3 cup soda water

1-2 tbsp olive oil (optional)

1 tsp cumin or fennel seeds or dried rosemary or thyme (optional)

Method

SIFT flour, baking powder, salt and any spices.

MIX in the yoghurt.

KNEAD the dough until it is soft and smooth in texture, adding flour if necessary for a firm consitency. (This is only a couple of minutes. Do not knead as you would for a yeast-based bread as this will make the flatbread tough.)

ROLL the dough into a mound and let it rest for 15 minutes.

CUT the dough into quarters.

DUST the work surface with flour and shape each quarter into a ball.

ROLL the dough into the shape and size you want. Small, thick shapes (20cm/6 in) will give you a type of pitta bread, while a large piece of dough will bubble like naan or crisper bread. Roll the bread evenly, flouring the bread and board as you go.

HEAT the frying pan to a medium-hot temperature. A heavy-bottomed skillet is best.

SHAKE off any excess flour from the rolled dough.

ADD the dough to the frying pan; it will start to bubble after a minute or two. (Covering the pan with a lid to assist it to bubble.)

TURN the cooking bread when it has risen, bubbled and the bottom is lightly brown.

COOK for a further minute or two.

REMOVE from the pan and wrap in a dry tea towel to keep it warm and soft.

CONTINUE cooking the other pieces.

Oven Baking

HEAT the oven to a very hot temperature.

HEAT a baking tray in the oven. (A thick baking tray or stone is best.)

ROLL all the pieces of flatbread (You can top with sesame seeds.)

PLACE the rolled dough on the hot tray and bake for 3-6 minutes. (The bread will puff up and become light golden on top.)

Serve

Best eaten fresh and warm.

Split and fill pitta shaped bread (20cm/6in).