Three Flatbreads: Roti, Pita, and Yogurt Flatbread

Ingredients

• 260 g whole wheat flour (For roti)
• 182 g hot water (70% of the flour's weight; for roti)
• ghee (Melted, for serving with roti)
• garlic (For serving with roti; amount not specified)
• 120 g bread flour (For the pita pre-ferment)
• 8 g instant yeast (For the pita pre-ferment)
• 225 g tepid water (Around 100°F / 38°C; for the pita pre-ferment)
• 240 g bread flour (Added after the pita pre-ferment)
• 20 g olive oil (For the pita dough; additional oil is used to lightly oil the bowl and plastic wrap)
• 6 g kosher salt (For the pita dough)
• 360 g all-purpose flour (For the yogurt flatbread)
• 10 g baking powder (For the yogurt flatbread)
• 3 g kosher salt (For the yogurt flatbread)
• 440 g whole-milk Greek-style yogurt (For the yogurt flatbread)
• butter, oil, or ghee (For frying the yogurt flatbread; ghee is described as ideal. Amount not specified)
• chicken (Optional topping for the flatbread pizza; amount not specified)
• pesto (Optional flatbread-pizza topping; amount not specified)
• mozzarella (Optional flatbread-pizza topping; amount not specified)
• Parmesan (Optional flatbread-pizza topping; amount not specified)

Steps

1. 1

   For the roti, combine the whole wheat flour and hot water in a food processor. Process for about 2 minutes, until the dough develops a smooth, elastic, supple texture. Test a small piece using the windowpane test: it should stretch thin enough for light to pass through without tearing.

2. 2

   If the roti dough tears easily or remains too sticky, process it longer or knead it by hand until smooth and elastic. If it is extremely sticky, work in additional flour as needed.

3. 3

   Wrap the roti dough in plastic wrap and let it rest for 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, or roll it out immediately if preferred.

4. 4

   Take a 50 g, golf-ball-sized piece of roti dough and roll it as thin as possible. Pass it back and forth between your hands to remove excess flour.

5. 5

   Preheat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until its surface reaches about 475°F / 246°C and is just lightly smoking. Place the roti in the pan and cook undisturbed for about 60 seconds, until it begins to bubble and picks up some color.

6. 6

   Flip the roti and cook for no more than 15–30 seconds, until it bubbles more extensively.

7. 7

   Remove the pan from the flame and place the roti directly over the flame. Cook for less than 5 seconds per side, allowing steam to inflate the bread like a balloon. Keep the cooked roti warm in a clean dish towel and serve hot with melted ghee and garlic.

8. 8

   For the pita pre-ferment, combine 120 g bread flour, instant yeast, and tepid water at about 100°F / 38°C. Mix, cover, and let stand for about 15 minutes, until foaming.

9. 9

   Add the remaining 240 g bread flour, olive oil, and kosher salt to the foaming pre-ferment. Knead until the dough passes the windowpane test: about 2 minutes in a food processor, 6–8 minutes in a stand mixer on medium speed, or 10–30 minutes by hand.

10. 10

    Shape the pita dough into a tight ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for 1–2 hours, until approximately doubled in size.

11. 11

    Divide the approximately 600 g of pita dough into six 100 g pieces. Roll each piece against the table while pinching the edges underneath to create a smooth, taut top.

12. 12

    Arrange the dough balls with plenty of space between them on parchment paper set in a rimmed baking sheet. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for about 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour for improved flavor, texture, and easier rolling.

13. 13

    On a well-floured countertop, roll each pita dough ball into a round about 6 inches wide. Remove excess flour by patting it back and forth or brushing it away before cooking.

14. 14

    For oven baking, preheat a pizza stone in a 500°F / 260°C oven for 1 hour. Place a rolled pita on the stone and bake for about 1½ minutes, then flip it and bake for about 1½ minutes more, until puffed and browned. Keep cooked pitas warm in a clean kitchen towel.

15. 15

    Alternatively, cook the pita in a cast-iron skillet, recognizing that the one-sided heat may produce an uneven pocket. For a pizza oven, heat it to about 666°F / 352°C, place the pita in the center, and cook for about 60 seconds, until evenly puffed and browned.

16. 16

    For the yogurt flatbread, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt until evenly combined.

17. 17

    Add the whole-milk Greek-style yogurt and knead until the dough is smooth, supple, and passes the windowpane test. The gluten development primarily improves texture and chew rather than creating a large pocket.

18. 18

    Take a 50 g, golf-ball-sized piece of yogurt-flatbread dough and roll it as thin as possible, into a round approximately 6–8 inches wide.

19. 19

    Heat butter, oil, or ideally ghee in a cast-iron or carbon-steel skillet until very hot. Add one rolled dough round and fry for about 60 seconds, until it is bubbly, browned, and burnished.

20. 20

    Flip the yogurt flatbread and fry for another 30–60 seconds, until cooked through and browned. Serve as a wrap or use it as a quick flatbread pizza base.

21. 21

    For the optional pizza variation, add chicken, pesto, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Bake on a stone in a home oven or pizza oven heated to about 500°F / 260°C until the toppings are melted and the flatbread is crisp.

Notes

This source is a tutorial covering three separate flatbreads rather than one single batch. The roti recipe does not specify a complete yield; 50 g portions are used. The yogurt flatbread recipe also does not specify a total yield. Pita may be frozen and reheated. The source mentions using leftover roti for small frozen breakfast burritos and serving pita with freshly fried falafel and other fillings, but quantities and detailed assembly instructions are not provided.

Nutrition per serving

• bread
• flatbread
• vegetarian
• yeast-leavened
• unleavened
• skillet-cooked
• baked
• high-heat-cooking