Today, I am making gyros and I have never been a fan of store bought flatbread. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love finding something at the store that makes things quicker and easier, but once you have tasted warm homemade flatbread, its kind of tough to get it out of your mind (this should serve as an official warning before proceeding).
Flatbread is really versatile. Of course, it is the perfect vessel for greek gyros, but it also makes a great base for quick little pizzas, paninis, wraps or it can be served alongside a warm bowl of curry. It is so good that I often just eat it plain… especially while it is still warm…
Let’s get started!
Start by waking up your yeast. Whisk 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast and a teaspoon of honey into 2/3 cup of warm whole milk and 1/2 cup of warm water. Set it aside for about 5 minutes or until the mixture gets foamy and smells like fresh bread.
Once the yeast has bloomed, add it into your stand mixer along with a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of salt and a cup of bread flour. Mix until everything is fully combined and then use your dough hook to begin mixing on medium speed.
Slowly add the remaining 2 cups of bread flour until all 3 cups have been added and a dough begins to form.
Knead for 4-5 minutes or until a smooth, springy dough forms that feels slightly tacky to the touch.
Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and rest in a warm place for about an hour or until it has doubled in volume.
Look at how puffy it got! This is exactly what we are looking for. At this point, transfer the dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into 8 equal portions.
Form each portion into a ball by tucking the outer edges into the middle and pinch those pieces together to seal them like this…
Bring one portion of the dough out and keep the rest of them covered to prevent them from drying out. Roll them out into a thin round or oval shape (depending on your preference) and place them onto the warm, dry skillet.
I like to have an assembly line going. I always have one cooking, one rolled out and ready to go next and the rest covered with the towel. This make everything happen pretty quickly.
Cook the flatbread over medium or just above medium heat until the bottom is dry with little browned spots. If your flatbread bubbles up and big air pockets form, don’t pop them or press them down when you flip the flatbread, they will settle down on their own.
As soon as the flatbread looks like this on both sides, transfer it into a kitchen towel and cover it to trap the warmth inside.
Repeat the process with each portion and continue to stack the cooked flatbreads on top of each other wrapped in the towel. The residual heat will keep them soft and flexible until you are ready to enjoy them.
This soft and tender flatbread is wonderful. It has great flavor and texture and is so versatile! I love serving this flatbread with curry or along side a big bowl of soup or stew. It also works great for deli wraps, as a quick pizza base or breakfast foldover.
This flatbread stays pretty soft if is wrapped tightly and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.
If you are looking for a great soft flatbread that cooks up quick and can be used in a wide variety of ways then I would love for you to give this recipe a try. You are going to love keeping this recipe on hand…
Soft Flatbread
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 2/3 cup of whole milk, warm
- 1/2 cup of water, warm
- 1 tablespoon of a neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3 cups of bread flour (plus, extra for kneading)
Instructions
- Combine 2/3 cup of warm whole milk with 1/2 cup of warm water in a bowl and whisk in 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast and a teaspoon of honey until fully incorporated. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy
- Once the yeast is foamy, add it into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer along with a tablespoon of olive oil, a teaspoon of salt and a cup of bread flour and whisk to combine
- Using the dough hook attachment or a dough whisk, slowly work the dough adding 2 additional cups of bread flour as you knead it into a dough
- Once the dough comes together, knead for 4-5 minutes or until a smooth, springy dough forms
- Transfer the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly and rest somewhere warm for about an hour
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 equal portions
- Cover the portioned dough with a towel and let it set for about 20 minutes
- After the 20 minutes has elapsed, place a skillet over medium heat
- Working with one portion at a time, roll the dough out into an 8 inch round and place onto the warm skillet (keep the other portions of dough covered to prevent them from drying out)
- Let the dough cook for about 2 minutes or until cooled and lightly browned in spots on the bottom, flip and cook until both sides are browned
- Transfer the cooked flatbread into a kitchen towel and repeat the process with all remaining portions
- Stack the cooked flatbreads on top of each other and keep them wrapped in a towel until ready to serve
Reader Interactions