Flatbreads a great yeast-less option for Covid-19 breadmaking

Around the world, people have been making simple flatbreads to feed themselves and their families for thousands of years.

Very often, these breads are unleavened — meaning they don't require yeast or other leavening agents like baking powder or soda. 

Roti and chapati, tortillas, paratha, arepas, lavash, lefse and flatbreads that go by many other names can be made whether or not you have yeast in your cupboard.

Last October, chef Floyd Cardoz, a much loved and highly respected NYC chef who passed away last week of COVID-19, shared some of his Indian flatbread techniques on the popular YouTube channel, Basics with Babish.

We made his parathas and roti using the same simple dough. 

Roti and Parathas

Both roti and parathas are made with the same simple unleavened dough.

Chef Cardoz listed ingredients but didn't specify measurements. In his video, he free pours water into a pile of whole wheat flour on the countertop, and goes by feel.

I found 1 cup flour to 1 tablespoon of oil and 1/3 cup water (with a big pinch of salt) worked well, but the amount of flour will depend on your flour — the variety, texture and absorbency — so you may need a bit more or less to get a soft dough.

Working with these ratios, you can easily double or triple the quantity.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

¼ tsp salt

1 tbsp canola or other neutral oil, plus extra for cooking

1/3 cup water

Melted butter or ghee (for parathas)

Preparation:

In a medium bowl (or right on the countertop), stir together the flour and salt. Add the oil and water and mix until the dough comes together. Turn out onto the countertop and knead until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for half an hour.

Divide the dough into pieces about the size of a golf ball, and on an unbleached surface roll each piece very thin. Set a cast iron skillet over high heat, add a drizzle of oil or small spoonful of ghee (or leave it dry) and cook the roti until golden and blistered on both sides. 

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To make parathas, brush each rolled-out piece of dough with melted butter or ghee, sprinkle with a bit of flour (this helps keep it grippy) and fold up like an accordion, each fold being about half-an-inch wide.

Roll up in a coil, and once all are rolled, pat each one flat and then roll it out again like you did with the initial piece of dough, not making it quite as thin. Cook in a hot skillet with some oil or ghee, flipping until golden and blistered on both sides.

Makes 4-6 per cup of flour. 

Flour tortillas

Flour tortillas are very similar to roti, but are further lightened with baking powder. This recipe is easily halved or doubled — the ratio is essentially the same as for roti.

Ingredients: 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

½ tsp baking powder 

½ tsp salt 

¼ cup lard or butter, at room temp

2/3 cup water 

Canola or other neutral oil, for cooking (optional)

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter or lard and blend it in with a fork or your fingers. Add the water and oil and mix until the dough comes together. Turn out onto the countertop and knead for about a minute, until smooth.

Cover with a tea towel and let sit for 20 minutes or so, just to let the gluten relax before you roll it out.

Divide the dough in half, and then each half in half (and so on) to make 8-12 balls, depending how big you want your tortillas to be. Roll them out very thin on an unfloured surface — they need to be tacky and cling to the counter to roll very thin.

Set a heavy (cast iron is perfect) skillet over medium-high heat and cook the tortillas in the dry pan (add a bit of oil if you like), until they start to puff slightly and turn golden in spots. Each tortilla will take about a minute. Wrap in a tea towel and serve warm.

Makes 8-12 tortillas.

Listen to food columnist Julie Van Rosendaal on the Calgary Eyeopener on Tuesdays at 8:20 a.m. MT. Hear her full column on bread: