Eastern European Flatbread

Ingredients

• 500 gbread flour
• 7 gdry yeast
• 300 mlwarm water
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 1 tbspolive oil

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine 500 g of bread flour and 1 tsp of fine sea salt. Make a well in the center and add 7 g of dry yeast. Gradually pour in 300 ml of warm water, ensuring it's not too hot to touch, as this can kill the yeast. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
2. Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by pushing it away with the heel of your hand, then folding it back over itself. Rotate and repeat for about 8-10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. It should be slightly tacky but not sticky.
3. Lightly oil a large bowl with 1 tbsp of olive oil and place the dough inside, turning it to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm, draft-free area until it doubles in size. This should take about 1 to 2 hours, depending on the room temperature.
4. Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down to release the air. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into equal portions, depending on the desired size of your flatbreads. Shape each portion into a ball, then flatten them gently with your hands into rounds about 1 cm thick.
5. Preheat your oven to 220°C (428°F) and place a baking sheet inside to heat up. Carefully place the shaped dough rounds onto the hot baking sheet. Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until the flatbreads are golden brown on top and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
6. Remove the flatbreads from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack. Allow them to cool slightly, which will help set the crumb and prevent them from becoming soggy. The flatbreads should feel firm to the touch but still soft inside.
7. Serve the flatbreads warm, ideally as part of a shared meal. They are perfect for tearing and dipping, embodying the communal spirit of Eastern European dining.