Flatbread recipe

Source: http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2012/aug/26/nigel-slater-flatbread-

Based on the recipe in How To Bake by Paul Hollywood.

For the basic dough:
strong, white bread flour 500g
salt 10g
instant yeast 10g
unsalted butter 30g
water about 300mls

Put the flour in a large, warm mixing bowl and add the salt and the dried yeast.
Add the butter and most of the water, then mix with your hands to bring the mixture together. Gradually add the remaining water until all the flour is mixed in. Put the dough on a lightly floured board and knead for 5-10 minutes.

When the dough feels smooth and silky, place it back in the mixing bowl, cover it with a warm tea towel and leave it in a warm place to rise for at least an hour until the dough has doubled in size.
Tip the dough on to a floured surface, fold repeatedly until all the air is knocked out of it, then tear it into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.


Fig and gorgonzola flatbread
My filling – use a good, ripe cheese. Makes 6
large, ripe figs 3
gorgonzola
half the dough above a little olive oil

Cut the figs into quarters. Make an indentation in the centre of each ball of dough and push a piece of fig and a similarly sized lump of gorgonzola into it. Pinch the dough over the filling to seal it. Continue till all six pieces of dough are filled.
Put a ball of the stuffed dough on a well- floured work surface and flatten with a rolling pin into a disc or oval about 16cm in diameter. Place on a baking sheet and continue with the others. Put the baking sheet of flatbreads in a warm place for 10-15 minutes.

Frying
Warm a heavy-based frying pan over a moderate heat. Rub lightly with a little olive oil, place two or three flatbreads into the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Once they have darkened here and there, turn them over and cook the other side. A little blistering is good.
Remove and eat immediately.


Aubergine and thyme flatbreads
Grill the aubergines instead, if you wish. Makes 6
a medium-sized aubergine
olive oil
a few sprigs of thyme
half the dough above

Cut the aubergine in half from stalk to tip. Place it in a baking dish, cut-side up, and slash a criss-cross of cuts into the flesh, reaching almost down to the skin. Trickle or brush over a little olive oil then bake at 200C for 25 minutes or until completely soft. Remove from the oven and scrape the flesh out into a mixing bowl. Chop the thyme leaves and stir them, with a little salt and black pepper, into the aubergine. Make an indentation in the centre of each ball of dough and put a couple of heaped teaspoons of the aubergine mixture into the hollow and pinch the dough over to seal. Carry on with the remaining pieces of dough. Place a ball of the stuffed dough on a well-floured work surface and flatten with a rolling pin into a disc or oval about 16cm in diameter. Place on a baking sheet and continue with the others. Put the baking sheet of flatbreads in a warm place 10-15 minutes.

Warm a heavy-based frying pan over a moderate heat. Rub very lightly with a little olive oil then place two or three flatbreads into the pan and cook them for 3-4 minutes. Once they have started to darken here and there, turn them over and cook the other side. A little blistering is good.
Eat immediately