Easiest ever flatbreads
The thought of making flatbreads might fill you with dread, but you wouldn’t believe how easy they are (well, at least with this recipe). There is no endless kneading or waiting or rising; it’s a two-minute job. We use these for a lot of dishes: for dunking into a curry, as the base for a quick breakfast bruschetta, with a barbecue or as a simple pizza base.
MAKES 6-8
200g natural yoghurt
250g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
olive oil, for brushing
1 Put all the ingredients, except for the olive oil, in a large bowl and mix – first with a spoon, then get your hands in there – until it forms a dough.
2 Dust a clean surface with flour and knead the dough for a minute or so until it forms a nice smooth ball (add more flour if needed). Cut the ball into 6-8 pieces. Dust a rolling pin with flour and roll out one of the pieces of dough as thinly as you can.
3 Place a frying pan over a high heat and add the flatbreads, one or two at a time. Cook for a couple of minutes until air pockets start to rise, then turn them over and cook again for about a minute. Take out of the pan and brush with olive oil, using a pastry brush. Repeat for the remainder of the flatbreads.
TART TIP If you are having these with a barbecue it’s nice to add garlic, herbs and salt and pepper to the oil for flavour. They’re also very nice with the garlic confit from our book.
Flatbread pizzas
These are quick and easy pizzas that anyone can make at home. They require no skill or patience and you will be taking them out of the oven within 20 minutes, if that. The picture shows some of our favourite toppings but you could try anything – we think it is pretty impossible to go wrong with pizza toppings. They’re really thin and crispy and seem to get demolished super-fast, so make more than you think you need! We often serve these as part of a feast, or it’s nice to sling them out of the oven when your guests are arriving to serve instead of canapés.
- For the flatbreads, use the basic flatbread recipe up to stage 2, making 1 large flatbread (or smaller ones if wished).
- Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7 and place a nonstick baking sheet or pan in the oven to heat up while you make your toppings. Then take your baking sheet out of the oven and drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil. Carefully place your rolled-out flatbread on top and after a minute or so bubbles will start forming; flip it and add your toppings to the flatbread before returning to the oven to bake. Here’s some topping inspo. To get you started. See the book for full instructions.
Harissa, goat’s cheese, red onion and coriander
Combine chopped tinned tomatoes with harissa (or just use the Smoky Harissa from our book) and spread this over the flatbread. Sprinkle with chopped red onion and crumble over some goat’s cheese. Bake in the hot oven for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is starting to turn golden. Remove from the oven and scatter with fresh coriander leaves.
White pizza with tender broccoli, garlic and ’nduja
Combine ricotta with a little olive oil, some lemon zest and chopped basil and garlic. Season and spread evenly over the flatbread so that it nearly reaches the sides, then dot little blobs of ’nduja spread all over. Place lightly steamed Tenderstem broccoli spears sporadically around, then tear up some mozzarella and scatter on top. Bake in the hot oven for 5-8 minutes until bubbling and golden. Tear up a little more fresh basil for the top, add a good drizzle of olive oil and serve immediately.
Wild mushroom and taleggio
Fry sliced portobello mushrooms with some sliced garlic and rosemary leaves, cooking down for a few minutes until golden. Add a squeeze of lemon and some chopped parsley. Spoon the mixture over the top of the flatbread, followed by some chopped taleggio cheese, sliced chilli and an extra pinch of rosemary. Bake in the hot oven for 5-8 minutes. Serve immediately scattered with a little rocket and extra parsley on the top and a sprinkle of olive oil, sea salt and pepper.
MORE TOP TOPPINGS
1 Spinach, mozzarella, spring onions, Parmesan, ham hock, poached egg, chopped chilli.
2 Roasted red peppers and cherry tomatoes, harissa, chorizo, smoked Cheddar, basil, chopped chilli.
3 Goat’s curd, courgette, peas, mint, basil, pea shoots.
4 Red onion, roasted red pepper, aubergine, black olives, garlic, rosemary, torn buffalo mozzarella.
5 Spinach, nutmeg, roasted garlic, mozzarella, feta, oregano.
6 Chanterelles, butter, thyme, mozzarella, chilli flakes, rocket, lemon, Parmesan.
7 Spicy sausage, smoked mozzarella, roast garlic, tomato, oregano, basil.
8 Courgette, ricotta, basil, chopped chilli, cherry tomatoes, garlic.
9 Parma ham, Gorgonzola, figs, basil.
10 Spiced minced lamb with yoghurt, coriander and pine nuts.