Homemade Flat Bread

No oven, no special equipment, just a frying pan and a soft yeast dough. That’s all it takes for a stack of warm, foldable flatbread ready to scoop up dinner.

The dough is barely more than flour, yeast, a little sugar and salt, water, and a knob of butter for softness. Ten minutes of kneading develops the gluten that gives these their tender chew, and two short rises keep them light.

Roll each ball into a thin six-inch round, then cook it in a lightly greased pan, flipping once, until both sides pick up light golden spots.

Because they cook over gentle heat instead of a hot oven, they stay soft and pliable, the kind of bread you can fold and tear without it cracking.

Serve them straight off the pan with curry, dips, or anything saucy.

Kitchen Tips

• Knead the full 10 minutes; well-developed dough rolls thin without springing back.
• Keep the pan at medium heat, since too hot and the outside browns before the inside cooks.
• Stack the cooked breads under a towel to trap steam and keep them soft.
• Roll them to an even thickness so they cook at the same rate across the round.

Variations

• Brush with garlic-herb butter as they leave the pan.
• Scatter nigella or sesame seeds onto the dough before cooking.
• Add a spoon of yogurt to the dough for an even softer crumb.