Flatbreads are easy and delicious rounds of carby goodness that perfectly soak up juices and round out meals!
With resting time, these can be on the table in about 1 ½ hours. Don't have that kind of time before dinner? Make these ahead of time and freeze them. They taste just as great reheated!
Yeasted Flatbread
The great debate over whether flatbread should include yeast continues to rage. Some will argue that flatbreads should never include yeast.
However, I'm here to throw my support behind including yeast. Yeast gives flatbread a little bit of height making them more substantial. It also creates a chewier texture and who doesn't want that?!
How to Make Flatbread
In a bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add in the olive oil and warm water.
If you're using a stand mixer, use the dough hook to knead the dough on low speed for 3 to 5 minutes.
If you're kneading by hand, mix the ingredients together with a fork until everything comes together. Then, flip the dough out onto the counter and begin kneading by pushing and pulling the dough over itself. Knead for 7 to 10 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth.
Once the dough is kneaded and smooth, place the round dough ball into an oiled bowl making sure to flip it over to coat all sides. Cover and let the dough rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut it into 12 pieces. Try to get them as even as possible but don't worry if they aren't perfectly the same.
Roll each piece into a ball and allow them to rest for another 10 minutes.
When you are ready to start rolling out the flatbreads, begin heating either a cast iron or heavy-bottom pan over medium heat.
Begin rolling out the dough by gently pressing them flat. Then, roll them out to about ⅛ inch thickness using a rolling pin. Be sure to roll from the center out to prevent dragging and tearing the dough.
Place one flatbread into the hot pan and allow it to cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side. You're looking for them to get lightly browned but not burned. If you find that they are cooking too fast reduce the heat a bit.
Once each side is cooked, remove the flatbread and place it on a baking sheet or platter. Continue cooking the rest of the flatbreads.
Optional, but highly recommended: Add a light coating of melted butter and chopped parsley to each flatbread. Trust me, this takes them over the top!
Serve and enjoy!
These go great served with Burst Tomatoes and White Beans or with
Storage and Freezing
As with most fresh bread, these flatbreads are best eaten the day they are made.
If you have extras, I suggest placing them into a freezer-safe gallon bag and freezing them. They will keep in the freezer for about 3 months.
Reheating
To reheat, I recommend wrapping the frozen flatbreads in foil and baking at 325 degrees F for 4 to 5 minutes.
You could also wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave for 30 to 60 seconds or until warmed through.
Eat them immediately as they can get tough if left to sit since this is their second time heating up.
📖 Recipe
Easy Flatbreads
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ¼ teaspoons 1 packet instant yeast
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or any oil you like
- 1 cup warm water about 110° F
- 2 tablespoons melted butter optional
- Finely chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- In a bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Add in the oil and warm water.
- If you're using a stand mixer, knead the dough for 3 to 5 minutes using the dough hook.
- If you're kneading by hand, use a fork to combine the ingredients. Then, dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and begin kneading by pushing and pulling the dough over itself. Knead for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth.
- Place the kneaded dough into an oiled bowl. Flip the dough over to coat all sides with oil. Cover and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, pull the dough out and place it on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough ball into 12 roughly equal pieces. Roll them into balls and allow them to rest for another 10 minutes.
- When you are ready to begin rolling out the flatbreads, place a cast iron or heavy-bottom pan over medium heat.
- Using a rolling pin, begin rolling out each dough ball to about ⅛ inch thickness. Roll out a few to begin but you can roll out the rest as the flatbreads are cooking.
- Once the pan is hot, place one flatbread in the pan and allow it to cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Flip it over and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on the second side. Once cooked, place the flatbreads on a baking sheet or platter. Continue until all of the flatbreads are cooked.
- Optional but highly recommended: Brush each flatbread with melted butter and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.
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