This recipe for sourdough flat-bread gives you the choice of using high or low gluten flour. Any gluten present in the flour should have been digested after 24-48 hours of sourdough fermentation. The time of fermentation may be extended up to 5 days. Ideally the flour should be ground from organic grain immediately prior to use.
The first recipe below uses a pastry type dough, the other a pancake type batter. With either method, you can ferment the flat-bread dough in a stainless steel container on the kitchen benchtop, so that you always have some dough on hand. As you use the dough, add more flour to the flat-bread mix for use the next time. Once a week you may wish to transfer the dough to a clean container.
If you use the oven-bake method then you can cook a reasonable quantity at one time. With the pan-fried method your are restricted to the size of the pan, unless you use something like a barbecue hot plate.
If you wish to increase the omega-3 oils then add freshly ground flaxseed to the batter just before you cook the flat-breads.
Flours that may be used for flat breads.
Makes enough for four 6 inch diameter flat breads.
In a bowl mix half of the flour with the salt, then add the sourdough starter. Slowly add small quantities of water, stirring with a wooden spoon to form a heavy batter. Stir in the reserved flour, then form the dough into a ball with your hands. Either add more flour or water until you get a pastry type dough. Leave the dough in a covered bowl at 28C for 24 hours to prove.
Once the dough is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured benchtop and knead it with your hands. If you use low gluten flour then the dough may stick to your hands and break up. (The easiest dough to work with is made from high gluten flour.)
Divide the dough into four equal sized pieces. Shape and pat them into flat-breads about 4 inches in diameter. Distribute them evenly on a greased and lightly floured baking tray, then pat them (or roll them with a rolling pin) until they flatten to about 2-3 mm thick.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 15-20 minutes.
You can also bake the flat-breads on a terracotta tile.
The pan fried method calls for the sourdough mixture to be the consistency of a thick batter. Ferment for 24 hours at 28C in a covered bowl.
Cook
the flat-breads in a good quality saturated fat, such as coconut oil, beef fat
or lard, in a heavy steel fry pan for about 10 minutes. Take care they do not
stick. Turn the flat breads and cook on the other side for 5 minutes.
MEASUREMENTS
1 teaspoon = 5
ml / 5 gm. 1 tablespoon = 15 ml / 15 gm. 15 tablespoons = 1 cup / 225 ml. 1
cup = 8 fluid oz / 225 ml. 1 US gallon = 3.6 litres. 1 lb = 16 oz / 454 gm. Temperature 20C = 68F.
Conversion from Fahrenheit to Celsius: C = (F - 32) / 1.8. Conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit: F = C x 1.8 + 32