Soft Skillet Flatbread

Instructions

1. 1

   Whisk the dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together for a good 15 seconds. Baking powder clumps and distributes unevenly if you skip this, which shows up later as bitter pockets, so give it a real whisk rather than a stir.

2. 2

   Mix in the wet ingredients

   Add the yogurt, olive oil, and warm water. Stir with a sturdy spoon or flexible spatula until the mixture pulls together into a shaggy, ragged mass with no dry flour hiding at the bottom of the bowl. It will look too dry at first — keep working it before you add any more liquid. Only if there is still loose flour after a solid minute of stirring should you add water, one teaspoon at a time.

3. 3

   Knead briefly

   Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter and knead for about 2 minutes, just until it smooths out and feels like soft modeling clay — tacky to the touch but not sticking to your palms. This is a short knead on purpose. Overworking the dough builds enough gluten to make the breads tough and springy, and they will fight you when you try to roll them thin.

4. 4

   Rest the dough

   Shape the dough into a ball, return it to the bowl, and cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap. Let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Nothing visible happens here, but the flour fully hydrates and the gluten relaxes, which is the difference between dough that rolls out easily and dough that keeps snapping back.

5. 5

   Divide and roll

   Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, roughly 83 grams each, and roll each into a ball. Keep the ones you aren't working with covered so they don't skin over. On a lightly floured surface, roll one ball into a round about 7 inches across and a scant 1/8 inch thick. Perfect circles are not the goal; even thickness is, since thin spots scorch while thick spots stay doughy.

6. 6

   Heat the skillet

   Set a cast iron or heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat and let it preheat for a full 3 to 4 minutes. Brush the surface with a thin film of olive oil. The pan is ready when a drop of water skitters and evaporates within a couple of seconds. An underheated pan dries the bread out before it can puff.

7. 7

   Cook the flatbreads

   Lay a rolled round into the pan. Within about a minute you'll see bubbles rise across the surface and the edges turn matte. Cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes total on the first side, until the underside is dry and marked with golden-brown blisters, then flip and cook 1 to 1 1/2 minutes more. If they're browning before they bubble, drop the heat slightly. Re-oil the pan lightly between breads.

8. 8

   Stack and steam

   Move each finished flatbread to a plate and immediately cover the stack with a clean kitchen towel. The trapped steam softens any crisp edges and keeps the whole batch pliable. Brush with melted butter and scatter flaky salt over the top while they're still hot, then serve warm.

9. You did it! Help us bring baking back home by selling your delicious baked goods on Homebaked!

Baker's Tips

• 1.

  Full-fat Greek yogurt gives the best result. Thinner regular yogurt works but you'll need an extra 2 to 3 tablespoons of flour to compensate for the added liquid.

• 2.

  Roll out all eight rounds before you start cooking, stacking them with squares of parchment between. Once the pan is hot the breads go fast and you won't have time to roll between batches.

• 3.

  If the breads puff into a full balloon, that's a good sign — it means the surface sealed and steam built up inside. Press gently with a spatula to flatten before flipping.

• 4.

  For garlic flatbread, warm two smashed cloves in the melted butter for a few minutes, then discard the garlic and brush the infused butter on. Chopped parsley, za'atar, or cracked black pepper all work scattered over the top.

• 5.

  The dough can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Let it sit out for 30 minutes before rolling, or it will resist stretching.

• 6.

  These make an excellent fast pizza base. Cook one side fully, flip, top the cooked side, and cover the pan for 3 minutes to melt the cheese.

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Rolling pin
• Cast iron or heavy nonstick skillet
• Pastry brush
• Kitchen scale (recommended)
• Clean kitchen towel

Storage