Recipe: how to make the tastiest and fluffiest flatbreads

Flatbread is not difficult to make, and you need little more than flour, baking powder and yogurt (!) to make it. For people who want to bake at home, it’s a relief—especially if you don’t feel like dealing with the hassle of sourdough bread…

So you don’t need much at home, and that (Greek) yogurt really is the trick for light, fresh flatbreads. But with this one extra step, which we learned from Smitten Kitchen, you can make your flatbreads even a little fluffier, so that every bite feels like biting into a cloud… A cloud of soft, buttery carbs, that is!

This trick makes your flatbreads even fluffier

What you need to do is first divide the dough as you normally would for individual flatbreads, but then shape those little balls into thin ropes and roll them up like a snail shell. On their sides, like a little snail lying on its side. Let these rolls rest for a while before rolling them flat again with a rolling pin and baking them in the pan, for the fluffiest insides.

How to make fluffy flatbreads

• Mix the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl.
• Add the yogurt and 2 tablespoons of water and mix well until combined.
• You may need a little more water; start again with 1 tablespoon.
• Shape it into a loose ball.
• Place the ball on a floured surface and continue kneading until it forms a ball, about 1–2 minutes.
• Place the mixing bowl upside down over the ball and let it rest, covered, for 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces/balls.
• Work with the pieces one at a time as follows: roll one out into an oval, brush with butter or oil, roll it away from you into a rope, and roll that rope up like a snail shell lying on its side.
• Place on the floured work surface and cover with a tea towel.
• Repeat with the remaining dough balls and let rest for 15–20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 150 degrees with a large baking sheet inside (to keep them warm; they cook in the pan).
• Heat a frying pan over medium heat.
• Roll out as many snail shells as will fit in your frying pan at once to 10 cm, flattening them again with the rolling pin, and brush the tops with butter or oil.
• Place them buttered-side down in the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until the underside is golden brown.
• Meanwhile, brush the tops with butter, turn them over and cook until golden brown on that side too.
• Keep warm in the oven until they are all done.

Delicious with a curry, as a thick wrap, or simply with good butter and a little Maldon salt. Enjoy!

Also read:

• Flatbread with roasted asparagus, fennel and smoked salmon
• Roti canai: Malaysian flatbread
• Recipe: flatbread with burrata and lemon

With thanks to: Smitten Kitchen