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Soft Garlic Flatbreads

Garlic Flatbreads

Soft, pillowy homemade flatbreads brushed with a fragrant garlic and parsley butter. Perfect as a side for dips, curries, or stews.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 8 flatbreads
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: International
Calories: 370

Ingredients
  

For the Flatbread Dough
  • 500 g strong white bread flour plus extra for dusting
  • 7 g sachet of fast-action dried yeast
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • 150 g plain full-fat yoghurt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 250 ml lukewarm water
For the Garlic Butter
  • 100 g salted butter
  • 3 large cloves of garlic crushed or very finely minced
  • A large handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped

Method
 

  1. Activate the Yeast: In a small bowl or jug, whisk together the lukewarm water, yeast, and sugar. Set it aside for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy on top. This shows the yeast is active and ready to go.
  2. Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the 500g of strong white bread flour and 1 ½ tsp of salt. Make a well in the centre.
  3. Form the Dough: Pour the frothy yeast mixture, 150g of plain yoghurt, and 2 tbsp of olive oil into the well. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix everything together until a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
  4. Knead the Dough: Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 8-10 minutes until it becomes smooth, soft, and elastic. To check if it’s ready, you can do the windowpane test. I find that using a dough scraper helps manage the initial stickiness.
  5. First Rise: Lightly oil the mixing bowl, place the dough back in, and turn it over to coat. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or cling film and leave it in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.
  6. Shape the Flatbreads: Once risen, knock the air out of the dough and tip it onto a lightly floured surface. Divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rough oval or circle, about 3-4mm thick.
  7. Cook the Flatbreads: Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan (cast iron is ideal) over a medium-high heat. Once hot, place a flatbread into the dry pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until puffed up and speckled with golden-brown spots. Repeat with the remaining dough, stacking the cooked flatbreads on a plate covered with a tea towel to keep them warm and soft.
  8. Make the Garlic Butter: While the flatbreads are cooking, melt the 100g of salted butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the 3 minced garlic cloves and the chopped parsley. Let it gently infuse for a minute, but don't let the garlic brown or it will become bitter.
  9. Serve: Brush the warm, cooked flatbreads generously with the garlic butter. Serve immediately while they are at their best.

Notes

For extra soft flatbreads, stack them under a clean tea towel as they come out of the pan. This traps the steam and keeps them pliable.