name: "Alex Catalano"

title: "Recipe: Flatbread"

date: "2025-10-07"

updated: "2025-10-08"

Recipe: Flatbread

Ingredients

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, weigh about 50 grams of whole wheat bread flour. Then add 250g of white bread flour.

Then add about four grams of oil, and about four grams of table salt.

(Note: for the oil, I use a high quality Canola oil. But I've used olive oil. I couldn't really tell a difference when I used olive oil sent from my father-in-law directly from Italy).

Next, add two teaspoons of active dry yeast.

Finally, warm the water to about 100 degrees (F). Depending on the humidity, I usually use about 174 grams of water.

Then mix the dough. I make a dough ball with my hands, and use my thumbs to press and stretch the dough inward while rotating in a donut shape, occasionally pressing back to the bowl to pick up the inevitable leftover flour and cleaning the clumbs that stuck to the bowl.

🪼 I refer to this part as jellfish feet. It'd be like holding a jellyfish upside down and tucking its little feet into its belly.

At this stage it can feel grainy (keep mixing), it can break apart on the back / under side (too dry (add some warm water)), or slightly slimy (too wet (add a pinch of flour)).

It's harder to understand when it's too wet than too dry or grainy. So maybe start closer to 170 grams of water -- especially if it's been raining.

When the ball is thoroughly mixed and holds its shape, cup your hands to pull the dough's sides inward to form a ball.

Dust the bottom of the mixing bowl. Place dough ball in the bowl and cover the top with a towel.

Let sit for 35 to 40 minutes.

When ready, cut the dough ball into three equal triangular pieces.

Use a rolling pin to flatten the individual piece.

Place the flattened dough piece into a dry pan that's been heated to one notch above medium.

Use a spatula to flatten the bottom of the dough to the pan. Flip after a couple of minutes. (Most time bubbles in the dough will be a visual indicator). Flip and flatten.

Place cooked flatbreads on a wire cooling rack.

Tools