Thai 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 bread flour and 1 tsp fine sea salt. Make a well in the center and add 7 g dry yeast. Pour in 300 ml warm water gradually, stirring with your hand or a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. The warmth of the water helps activate the yeast, which is crucial for the dough to rise properly.
2. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the dough mixture and begin kneading it in the bowl. Once the dough starts to come together, transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. You should feel the dough becoming more pliable and less sticky as you work it.
3. Place the kneaded dough back into the bowl and cover it with a damp cloth. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free area for about 1 to 2 hours, or until it has doubled in size. The dough is ready when it feels light and airy to the touch and has visibly expanded.
4. Once the dough has risen, gently punch it down to release excess air. Divide it into equal portions, shaping each into a ball. Flatten each ball slightly with your hands to form a disc, about 1 cm thick. This gentle shaping helps maintain the dough's airy texture.
5. Preheat your oven to 220°C (428°F) and place a baking sheet inside to heat up. Carefully transfer the shaped dough discs onto the hot baking sheet. Bake them in the oven for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until the flatbreads puff up and develop a golden brown color on the surface.
6. Remove the baked flatbreads from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool slightly. This cooling step allows the crumb to set, ensuring the flatbreads have a nice texture when bitten into.
7. Serve the Thai Flatbread warm, ideally alongside your meal. The bread's soft interior and slightly crisp exterior make it perfect for scooping up curries or dipping into sauces, embodying the communal and sharing nature of Thai dining.