Why this recipe works Flatbreads are eaten all over the world, often accompanying stewed meals—they’re perfect for mopping up aromatic braising liquids and curries. We set out to make flavorful, rustic flatbreads that were tender yet chewy, and easy enough to cook while dinner was on the stove. We knew we wanted a hearty wheat flavor without compromising the flatbread’s texture, so we added a small amount of whole-wheat flour—just ¼ cup—to the high protein bread flour. Taking a cue from the Indian flatbread naan, we enriched the dough with yogurt and oil, which tenderized it. A little sugar and salt improved the flavor of the bread. For the cooking vessel, we turned to a cast-iron skillet, which mimicked the tandoor or brick oven often used to bake similar breads around the world. The cast iron’s great heat retention helped create the signature spotty brown flecks covering these breads. But our flatbreads were developing a tough crust. We found that softening the crust and prolonging the optimal tender texture of the bread required a two-tiered approach. First, we misted the dough with water before cooking it to moisten the flour that coated it. Then we covered the pan during the bread’s brief cooking time, which trapped steam and moisture. Brushing the finished breads with melted butter and sprinkling them with sea salt added a final layer of flavor to these easy-to-make flatbreads. We prefer a cast-iron skillet here, but any 12-inch nonstick skillet will work fine. For efficiency, stretch the next ball of dough while each flatbread is cooking.
MAKES: four 9-inch flatbreads
RISING TIME: 1½ to 2 hours
RESTING TIME: 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 16 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 3 to 3½ hours
KEY EQUIPMENT: 12-inch cast-iron skillet with lid, rolling pin, water-filled spray bottle, pastry brush
INGREDIENTS:
- 2½ cups (13¾ ounces) bread flour
- ¼ cup (1⅓ ounces) whole-wheat flour
- 2¼ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 cup (8 ounces) water, room temperature
- ¼ cup (2 ounces) plain whole-milk yogurt, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- coarse sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together bread flour, whole-wheat flour, yeast, and salt. In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk together water, yogurt, 1 tablespoon of oil, and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Using the dough hook attachment on low speed, slowly add the water mixture to the flour mixture and mix until a cohesive dough starts to form and there are no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Increase the speed to medium-low and knead the dough until it becomes smooth, elastic, and clears the sides of the bowl but sticks to the bottom, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter and knead it by hand to form a smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place the dough seam side down in a lightly greased large bowl or container. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until it doubles in size, approximately 1½ to 2 hours.
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Transfer the dough to a clean counter and divide it into quarters. Cover each piece of dough loosely with greased plastic. Working with one piece of dough at a time while keeping the remaining pieces covered, form each piece into a rough ball by stretching the dough around your thumbs and pinching the edges together to make the top smooth. Place each ball seam side down on the counter and, using your cupped hand, drag it in small circles until the dough feels taut and round. Let the balls rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Grease a 12-inch cast-iron skillet with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and heat it over medium heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, press and roll one dough ball into a 9-inch round of even thickness, sprinkling the dough and the counter with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Using a fork, poke the entire surface of the round 20 to 25 times.
- Carefully wipe out the skillet with paper towels, leaving a thin film of oil on the bottom and sides. Mist the top of the dough with water and place it moistened side down in the skillet. Mist the top of the dough with water. Cover the skillet and cook until the flatbread is lightly puffed and the bottom is spotty brown, approximately 2 to 4 minutes. Flip the flatbread, cover, and continue to cook until the second side is spotty brown, approximately 2 to 4 minutes. If large air pockets form, gently poke them with a fork to deflate.
- Brush one side of the flatbread with about 1 teaspoon of melted butter and sprinkle it with sea salt. Serve immediately or transfer it to an oven-safe plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and keep it warm in the oven. Repeat the process with the remaining dough balls, melted butter, and sea salt. Serve the flatbreads.
