Summer flatbreads take no time – and no oven
My oven is getting dusty. It’s only reasonable, of course, that I am reluctant to turn it on in the summer. Who needs a casserole or a cake between, say, May and September, when just-picked tomatoes and ice cream are on the menu?
Fresh bread, however, is a year-round necessity, as far as I’m concerned. When there’s a nip in the air, I love to churn out crusty loaves of rye, fill sheet pans with dimpled focaccia drizzled in olive oil, and knead mashed sweet potatoes into my Thanksgiving dinner roll dough.
My oven is on hiatus and I turn to the griddle, or even the barbecue, to make breads that won’t turn the kitchen into, well, an oven.
The advantage to the wide array of quick-cooking flatbreads that can be made without turning on the oven is that they pair well with summer vegetables, fresh dips or soft cheese packed with herbs, and as a base for grilled pizzas or avocado toast. They taste best when eaten fresh, but can also be stored for a few days and refreshed in a toaster oven or even the microwave. Some, like a fast, yeast-free naan, can be made in well under an hour, and a puffy, beer-based flatbread takes only slightly longer and cries out to be slathered with mustard and topped with slices of grilled sausage and onions.
Good friends, cold wine and fresh bread. What more could you need on a sultry summer night?
English Muffins
16 servings
This recipe works well with a stovetop griddle, but you can also use a cast-iron or electric skillet.
MAKE AHEAD
The dough needs to rest twice, for one to two hours and then for 20 minutes. The muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, refrigerated for one week, or frozen for up to two months.
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups lukewarm milk (dairy or nondairy)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (dairy or nondairy)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten (may use an equivalent vegan egg substitute)
3 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
Semolina, for sprinkling
STEPS
Combine the milk, butter, salt, sugar, egg, flours and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed just until blended, then increase the speed to mediumhigh and beat for 5 minutes, until a dough forms that has started to pull away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should be quite stretchy, soft and shiny.
Scrape the dough into a ball inside the bowl and cover. Let rest in a warm place to rise for 1 to 2 hours, until it’s nice and puffy.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and sprinkle generously with the semolina.
Gently deflate the dough and divide into 16 equal portions. Shape each piece into a smooth ball. Divide the balls between the baking sheets, flattening each one into disks about 3 inches wide. Sprinkle the tops with more semolina, cover and let rest for 20 minutes (they’ll puff up a little more but won’t rise significantly).
Preheat a stovetop griddle over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low before adding the muffins, because you want them to cook slowly. Cook the muffins a few at a time, for 7 to 15 minutes per side (typically no more than 10 minutes per side), until the exteriors are golden brown; an instant-read thermometer will read at 200 degrees when the muffins are cooked all the way through.
Once the muffins are cooked, let them cool thoroughly on a rack before storing. When you’re ready to toast them, use a fork to pierce a horizontal line around the sides of the muffin and then split it open, to create maximum nooks and crannies.
Stovetop Shotis
10 servings (makes individual 6-inch loaves)
MAKE AHEAD
The dough needs to rest twice, for a total of 55 minutes. The breads can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days. Refresh them by reheating them in the microwave on low for 20 seconds or lightly warming them on the stove top.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast 1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 cups flour, plus more as needed
1/2 cup water mixed with 1 teaspoon of salt, for brushing
STEPS
Whisk together the warm water, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl; let the mixture rest for five minutes or until foam forms on the top.
Add the salt to the flour, then mix in the flour-salt blend, 1/2 cup at a time, until a sticky dough forms. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes, adding flour as needed. The dough should still be slightly sticky. Pat into a round ball, dust with flour, then place in a clean bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest in a warm, draftfree spot for 40 minutes, until nearly doubled in bulk.
Generously flour a work surface. Turn out the dough there, then divide it into five equal pieces (3 1/2 to 4 ounces each). Roll each piece into a ball and let rest on the floured surface, covered lightly in plastic wrap, for about 15 minutes.
Heat a cast-iron griddle or pan over high heat on the stove top.
Divide each ball of dough in half, to form a total of 10 half-moon pieces. Lightly flatten each piece with your fingertips and use a pair of kitchen shears to snip the top of each piece (just a small snip, no more than an inch long).
Once you can splash a couple drops of water on the griddle and they bounce and evaporate, brush the top of each piece with the salted water and put a few pieces on the hot griddle, salted water side down, pressing down lightly.
Let each piece cook for four or five minutes on one side, until starting to get browned and crisp, then turn over and cook on the floured side for an additional two or three minutes until lightly browned. It will look a bit floury on that side when it’s done.
Cool slightly; cover loosely with a clean dish towel until ready to serve, but then eat soon to enjoy the exterior at its best.
30-Minute Naan
6 servings
MAKE AHEAD
These are best if served right away, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt (regular or low-fat)
1/4 cup water, or more as needed
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup sesame seeds 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup freshly chopped herbs, such as parsley, cilantro and/or mint
STEPS
Whisk together the flours, baking soda, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Mix together the yogurt, water and oil in a large measuring cup.
Add the yogurt mixture to the flour a little at a time, kneading as you go. If the dough seems too dry, you can add more water, a teaspoonful at a time, or, conversely, some extra flour if the dough seems too wet. You’ll knead the dough for a few minutes total, until it is soft and supple, then cover with a damp towel. Let it rest for about 20 minutes.
Lightly flour a work surface. Divide the rested dough into 6 equal portions, then gently roll out each piece on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4-inch thick (the shape doesn’t matter). Brush the tops lightly with water, press in some sesame seeds, then turn them over and brush the other side with a little water.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. To cook the naan, place the side without the sesame seeds down on the hot pan (depending on the size of the pan, you’ll be able to cook one or two at a time). Cover immediately with a lid; the naan will start bubbling up. Wait 45 seconds, then flip the naan and cook for 30 seconds on the second side, which should be lightly browned.
Remove from the pan; quickly brush the side of the naan with the sesame seeds with melted butter and then sprinkle with the fresh herbs.
Serve warm.
Soft Beer Flatbreads
12 servings
MAKE AHEAD
The ovals of dough need to rest for 40 minutes. The cooked flatbreads can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days. Refresh them in a pan over low heat on the stove top or microwave on low for 20 seconds. INGREDIENTS
8 ounces beer, such as a brown ale or dunkel
1/2 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar 4 cups flour, plus more as needed
2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
STEPS
Warm the beer slightly, to no more than 100 degrees.
Combine the beer, warm water, yeast and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough-hook attachment. Stir well and let stand for five to 10 minutes until foam forms across the surface. (If it doesn’t, you may need to start over with new yeast.)
Add two cups of the flour and the salt; beat on low speed until incorporated, then gradually adding the remaining 2 cups of flour until a ball of dough forms that is just slightly sticky. This should take about 5 minutes.
Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out the dough there, cover with a clean dish towel and let it rest for 5 minutes.
Use some of the oil to lightly grease two rimmed baking sheets.
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions, rolling each one into a ball. Flatten each ball with the palm of your hand, then gently stretch each one into six-inch ovals (use your fingers or a rolling pin). Divide the ovals between the baking sheets, then brush the tops of them with more of the oil. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel and let them rest in a warm, draft-free spot for about 40 minutes. The doughs will rise a bit.
Once the ovals have been proofed, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches as needed, cook for two to threee minutes on each side, until lightly golden with distinct grill marks.
Transfer to a platter. Brush the tops lightly with the remaining oil, and cover loosely to keep warm until ready to serve.