Easy Sesame Garlic Flatbread Recipe

PREP 1hr 20mins | COOK 20mins | TOTAL 1hr 40mins

Use these homemade flatbreads for folded sandwiches, for dipping into soups or cut them into wedges and serve next to your favorite dips. They are soft and fluffy in the middle and give just enough to fold them slightly. You won’t be able to make closed wraps with these — think of them more like what surrounds a gyro or similar to the texture of naan bread.

Makes 6 large or 8 small flatbreads

YOU WILL NEED

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup warm water

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)

1/2 teaspoon honey or sugar

2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Neutral flavored oil for lightly coating skillet such as grape seed or canola

DIRECTIONS

PREPARE DOUGH

Add garlic, sesame seeds and the olive oil to a cold skillet. Place the skillet over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until aromatic, but before the garlic browns. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and honey. Stir a few times then let sit for 5 minutes.

Add 1 cup of the flour and the infused garlic-olive oil mixture. Stir 3 to 4 times until the flour has moistened. Let sit for another 5 minutes.

Stir in the remaining cup of flour and the salt. Once the dough comes together, transfer to a floured board and knead the dough 10 to 15 times until smooth, adding more flour if the dough seems unreasonably sticky. Transfer to a large oiled bowl, cover with a warm, damp towel and let rise for 1 hour. (It’s best to let the dough rise in a warmer area of your kitchen).

TO FINISH

After 1 hour, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and cut into 6 equally sized pieces for large flatbreads or 8 pieces for smaller flatbreads. Shape into balls, cover with a damp dishtowel and let the dough rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or grill pan over medium heat (see note below).

Use your fingertips to press each dough ball into a flat disk, about 1/8 inch thick.

Lightly oil the skillet then carefully lay down the flatbread and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until it’s starting to brown. Flip then continue to cook until cooked all the way through. If the pan seems too hot or is smoking, turn the heat down slightly. Continue with remaining flatbreads.

If you would prefer to bake the flatbreads, bake them in a 425 degree F oven until puffed and cooked through, about 10 minutes. (Baking allows you to cook multiple flatbreads at one time, but the bread won’t be as soft as when using a skillet.)

ADAM AND JOANNE'S TIPS

• Storing: Allow flatbreads to cool completely then store covered at room temperature 2 to 3 days or freeze a month or two. When ready to eat, rewarm in a hot pan or the oven.
• Add herbs: We’ve also made these flatbreads with herbs added to the dough. Add chopped fresh or dried herbs to the olive oil and garlic mixture — I’d use 1 tablespoon of fresh or 1 teaspoon of dried.
• Make ahead: Instead of proofing the dough in a warm area of the kitchen, which takes 1 hour, you can proof the dough in the refrigerator. Add the dough to a lightly oiled food-safe bag, seal then store in the refrigerator for 24 to 36 hours. When you are ready to cook the flatbreads, remove the dough from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Shape into small balls and continue with the recipe above.
• Grill pan vs. Flat skillet: If you have one, a grill pan is perfect for these. The flatbreads cook quickly and you will add grill marks to the bread. A flat, heavy skillet (like a cast iron skillet) is also perfect for making flatbread. Watch the heat when making each batch, we usually need to start on medium heat and turn it down half way through making the flatbreads. Both the grill pan and flat skillet make soft and fluffy flatbreads. If you bake them, the bread will be a little less soft.
• Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA Supertracker recipe calculator to calculate approximate values. We assumed 8 flatbreads per recipe.

NUTRITION PER SERVING: Serving Size 1 small flatbread (1 of 8) / Calories 178 / Protein 4 g / Carbohydrate 25 g / Dietary Fiber 2 g / Total Sugars 0 g / Total Fat 7 g / Saturated Fat 1 g / Cholesterol 0 mg / Sodium 220 mg

AUTHOR: Adam and Joanne Gallagher, Inspired Taste