Cast Iron Griddled Flatbreads
By Sara MayerPublished on July 10, 2017
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour rising
Yield
Makes four 9-inch flatbreads
Ingredients
1 cup warm water (110 degrees), plus extra as needed¼ cup plain yogurt 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 ¼ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast 2 teaspoons sugar 2 ½ cups (13 ¾ ounces/390 grams) bread flour, plus extra as needed¼ cup (1 ⅓ ounces/38 grams) whole-wheat flour 1 ½ teaspoons salt 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, meltedcoarse sea salt
Before You Begin
For efficiency, stretch the next ball of dough while each bread is cooking.
Instructions
- Whisk water, yogurt, 1 tablespoon oil, yeast, and sugar in 2-cup liquid measuring cup until yeast dissolves. Whisk bread flour, whole-wheat flour, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Using dough hook with mixer on low speed, slowly add water mixture and mix until dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. (If after 4 minutes dough is still very sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons extra flour; dough should clear sides of bowl but stick to bottom.)
- Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 1 minute. Place dough in large, lightly greased bowl, cover tightly with greased plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, divide into 4 pieces, and cover with greased plastic. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keep other pieces covered), round dough into smooth, taut balls. Let balls rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Grease 12-inch cast-iron skillet with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, press and roll 1 dough ball into 9-inch round of even thickness, sprinkling dough and counter with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Using fork, poke entire surface of round 20 to 25 times.
- Using paper towels, carefully wipe out oil in skillet, leaving thin film on bottom and sides. Mist top of dough lightly with water. Place dough in skillet, moistened side down, then mist top surface of dough with water. Cover and cook until bottom of bread is browned in spots across surface, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip bread, cover, and continue to cook until lightly browned on second side, 2 to 3 minutes. (If bread puffs up, gently poke with fork to deflate.)
- Brush 1 side of bread with about 1 teaspoon melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve immediately or transfer to ovensafe plate, tent with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining 3 dough balls, melted butter, and sea salt. Serve.
Time
1½ hours, plus 1 hour risingYield
Makes four 9-inch flatbreadsIngredients
1 cup warm water (110 degrees), plus extra as needed
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 ¼ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 ½ cups (13 ¾ ounces/390 grams) bread flour, plus extra as needed
¼ cup (1 ⅓ ounces/38 grams) whole-wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
coarse sea salt
Ingredients
1 cup warm water (110 degrees), plus extra as needed
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 ¼ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 ½ cups (13 ¾ ounces/390 grams) bread flour, plus extra as needed
¼ cup (1 ⅓ ounces/38 grams) whole-wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
coarse sea salt
Ingredients
1 cup warm water (110 degrees), plus extra as needed
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 ¼ teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 ½ cups (13 ¾ ounces/390 grams) bread flour, plus extra as needed
¼ cup (1 ⅓ ounces/38 grams) whole-wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
coarse sea salt
Why This Recipe Works
We set out to make flavorful, rustic flatbreads that were tender yet chewy, and easy enough to make while a curry or stew was cooking for dinner. We knew we wanted hearty wheat flavor along with great texture, so we added a small amount of whole-wheat flour to high-protein bread flour for the perfect balance between wheatiness and chew. We enriched the dough with oil and yogurt. To keep the rising short and simple, we used a generous amount of yeast so the dough required only short rests between periods of kneading. A hot cast-iron pan mimicked the tandoor or brick oven often used to bake similar breads around the world; its great heat retention helped create the signature spotty brown flecks covering these breads.
Before You Begin
For efficiency, stretch the next ball of dough while each bread is cooking.
Instructions
- Whisk water, yogurt, 1 tablespoon oil, yeast, and sugar in 2-cup liquid measuring cup until yeast dissolves. Whisk bread flour, whole-wheat flour, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Using dough hook with mixer on low speed, slowly add water mixture and mix until dough comes together, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and continue to mix until dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. (If after 4 minutes dough is still very sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons extra flour; dough should clear sides of bowl but stick to bottom.)
- Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 1 minute. Place dough in large, lightly greased bowl, cover tightly with greased plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter, divide into 4 pieces, and cover with greased plastic. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keep other pieces covered), round dough into smooth, taut balls. Let balls rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Grease 12-inch cast-iron skillet with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, press and roll 1 dough ball into 9-inch round of even thickness, sprinkling dough and counter with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Using fork, poke entire surface of round 20 to 25 times.
- Using paper towels, carefully wipe out oil in skillet, leaving thin film on bottom and sides. Mist top of dough lightly with water. Place dough in skillet, moistened side down, then mist top surface of dough with water. Cover and cook until bottom of bread is browned in spots across surface, 2 to 4 minutes. Flip bread, cover, and continue to cook until lightly browned on second side, 2 to 3 minutes. (If bread puffs up, gently poke with fork to deflate.)
- Brush 1 side of bread with about 1 teaspoon melted butter and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve immediately or transfer to ovensafe plate, tent with aluminum foil, and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining 3 dough balls, melted butter, and sea salt. Serve.
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