I love flatbread. Naan, pita (soft fresh ones, not those kangaroo breads at the grocery store), parathas, roti… you name it.
A few weeks ago I had dinner with friends at a new restaurant in town, Lucia. The entrees were very nice, but the appetizers eclipsed them. And the thing that really stuck in my mind – and which seemed to be more of an amuse-bouche, because we didn’t order it, but it came among the appetizers we did order – was introduced to us simply as “Lebanese flatbread.”
I have not yet found out what exactly this bread may be, but I can tell you it was amazing. Soft, fluffy, and rich, it left me wanting to hog it all for myself.
So, clearly, the only thing to do is learn to make it. Since I don’t even know what it is, this could be a long journey. But I don’t think I mind.
Tonight I started my experiments. I foolishly took no pictures, since I wasn’t expecting much. I had a lump of leftover pizza dough in the fridge – about 8 oz – and I simply flattened it into two rough oblongs, brushed it liberally with good olive oil, and tossed it onto a pizza stone in a 500-degree oven.
It still tasted like pizza dough, but I was impressed anyway. It puffed hugely (I had to poke it with a knife to deflate it) and came out fluffy and light, with a crisp bottom. Not bad for 5 minutes’ work.
I promise the rest of my flatbread adventures will come with photos!
Talk to me!