Description
This homemade flatbread recipe makes soft, pillowy flatbreads with a crispy exterior, perfect for serving with dips, wraps, or alongside your favorite meals. Made from simple ingredients including flour, olive oil, yeast, and water, these flatbreads are cooked on the stovetop in a frying pan, requiring no oven. Ideal for an easy, versatile bread option that comes together with minimal ingredients and effort.
Ingredients
Scale
Yeast Mixture
- 7 g (2 tsp) instant dry yeast
- 480 ml (2 cups) warm water
Dry Ingredients
- 780 g (6 ½ cups) strong bread flour, plus extra for rolling (approx 60g or 1/2 cup)
- 1 ½ tsp sugar
- 1 ½ tsp table salt
Other Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing (approx 2–3 tbsp)
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: Place the instant dry yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl. Add the warm water and stir gently. Let it sit for 5 minutes until foam forms on the surface, indicating the yeast is active.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the olive oil, strong bread flour, sugar, and salt to the yeast mixture.
- Mix Dough: Using a stand mixer with a dough hook (recommended) or your hands, mix all ingredients together until a dough begins to form.
- Knead the Dough: Knead the dough for 10 minutes either with the stand mixer or by hand. The dough will be sticky; if kneading by hand, coat your hands and work surface with olive oil to prevent sticking.
- First Proof: Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover it with a damp cloth or cling film, and allow it to prove for 60-90 minutes, until it doubles in size.
- Prepare Surface: Lightly flour your work surface to prevent sticking during shaping.
- Divide and Rest Dough Balls: Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and cover with a damp cloth while you prepare to cook.
- Roll Out Flatbreads: Take one dough ball and roll it out into a flatbread shape, about 19 cm (7.5 inches) diameter and ½ cm thick.
- Heat the Pan: Brush or spray a medium-sized frying pan (cast iron is ideal) with about 1/4 tsp of oil and heat over medium-high heat.
- Remove Excess Flour: Toss the rolled flatbread in your hands to remove any excess flour before cooking.
- Cook Flatbread: Place the flatbread in the hot pan and cook for 60-90 seconds until bubbles appear. Flip and cook for an additional minute on the other side. Meanwhile, roll out the next flatbread.
- Repeat and Cook All Flatbreads: Continue cooking the remaining flatbreads, brushing the pan with oil after every 3 or 4 to prevent sticking and promote browning.
- Keep Warm: Stack cooked flatbreads on a plate and cover with a clean tea towel to keep warm and soft until ready to serve.
Notes
- Using a stand mixer with a dough hook makes kneading easier but kneading by hand works well too with lightly oiled hands.
- Cast iron pans give the best crispy outer texture, but a non-stick frying pan can be used.
- Make sure the water is warm, not hot, to properly activate the yeast without killing it.
- Stacking the flatbreads while warm keeps them soft and pliable.
- Flatbreads are best eaten fresh but can be reheated wrapped in foil or a damp towel in the oven or microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: flatbread, homemade flatbread, easy bread, stovetop bread, no oven bread, Mediterranean bread, yeast bread
