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Recipe for Unleavened Bread

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9/26/2020 3:31 PM

This recipe is modified from the "Easy Flat Bread" recipe by Julie Goodwin.

This is a nice, easy recipe to make unleavened bread that would be similar to what the Jews would have made in antiquity. They had all the ingredients on-hand when they left Egypt, though when conditions were scarce, like their time in the desert, they probably wouldn't have used butter.

Makes 4 large, 6 medium, or 8 small rounds

Ingredients

2 cups (300 g) flour (all-purpose or whole wheat)

about 1/4 cup extra flour for dusting & adjusting dough
1/2 tsp salt
3-1/2 tbsp (50 g or 1.75 oz) unsalted butter (reduce salt if using salted butter or margarine); optionally you may replace the butter with 2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
3/4 cup (185 ml) milk
1/2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil (for cooking), optionally, you may use a spray oil instead

Method

On stove or in microwave, heat butter and milk until the butter is just melted.

For stove, use a small pot or saucepan over medium-high heat.

For microwave, use a medium power or “soften/melt” setting (full power is fine if you can’t use a different power setting) and remove the butter immediately when it has melted to prevent overheating. Covering the bowl for heating is recommended in case the butter pops or explodes, which will likely happen on full power.

Mix the milk and butter until combined. If the milk and butter got too hot, let it cool. It should only be warm to the touch and not scalding.

Sprinkle a flat work surface with flour for kneading the dough.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour and salt (mixing with fingers is good enough).

Make sure the butter-milk mixture is not too hot and add it to the bowl, mixing with hands, wooden spoon, or rubber spatula, until well combined.

Gather the dough into a ball and move it onto the floured work surface. Knead for a few minutes until dough is smooth. It doesn't need much kneading. Add extra flour if the dough is too sticky. The dough should be smooth and a little tacky, but not stringy, sticky.

Wrap the dough in plastic cling wrap and rest it at room temperature for 30 minutes or so.

Make sure the work surface is clean of dough scraps and re-dust it with flour to work the dough again.

Cut the dough into 4 to 8 pieces, depending on how large you want each piece to be. You don’t have to be exact or uniform in your cutting.

I find that cutting the dough into 6 parts makes a good size for a medium-size, single eating portion. Cutting into 4 parts makes portions about the size of large tortillas.

Roll the cut dough into balls, then with a rolling pin or any kind of roller, roll out the dough balls to about 1/8" (0.3 cm) thick rounds.

Thicker rounds will come out softer, while thinner rounds will be crispier.

Roll out all dough balls so they are ready to cook. Keep them separate before cooking or stack them between plastic cling wrap or wax/parchment paper.

Heat oil or spray oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat - or lower if you have a heavy skillet (see Note 1). Make sure you allow the pan to heat thoroughly before cooking. If you see the oil smoking, reduce the heat.

Optionally, for more even cooking, use a folded paper towel (a half sheet or standard-sized napkin will do) to evenly spread out the oil on the pan’s surface. Be careful with the hot surface and oil. I fold the towel into a thick rectangle and bend up one side to use as a grab handle while pressing down on the bottom end as I wipe the pan. You will want to use this oil wipe every time you add more oil to the pan.

Place flatbread rounds into the pan as can be fitted without the rounds touching. Cook each side for about 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. The rounds should bubble up (see photo). Then flip and cook the other side, pressing down if it puffs up. There should be smallish, golden brown spots on both sides. If spots are black or too dark, reduce heat and/or reduce cooking time per side.

Optionally, brush or spray bread with olive oil or melted butter during cooking for a more luxurious finish, or even with melted butter mixed with minced garlic for a garlic butter version.

Stack the cooked bread and cover with a clean towel. The moisture helps soften the surface, making them even more pliable.

Continue to cook remaining pieces.

Notes

Higher heat and thinner dough = crispier crust, though still pliable inside. The thin crispy crust on the outside might crack when you roll it, which is how Indian naan flatbread is.
Before storing or covering cooked bread, let it cool so excessive moisture does not accumulate in storage bags or containers.
The cooked flatbread keeps at room temperature for a couple days. They keep in the refrigerator for a couple more days. Uncooked dough keeps in the refrigerator for around 3 days. Cooked breads keep really well in the freezer for many months.

I generally only cook enough pieces to last until they go bad, so for longer periods of needing flatbread, like during Passover, I will make one batch to begin the week and another batch when I run out to finish the week. This recipe is easy, so making a few batches over time is not much effort.

Enjoy your unleavened bread!

3rd Compass -> Group News and Articles -> Recipe for Unleavened Bread

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