The flatbreads in this chapter are made in various ways, using different doughs. Every recipe tells you what you need to know, but these preliminary tips may help speed you on your way.
KNEADING THE DOUGH
The dough can be kneaded by hand, but a mixer fitted with a dough hook or a food processor fitted with a plastic kneading blade will make quicker work of it. A well-kneaded and well-rested dough will give far better results than one that has been put together in a hurry, unless the recipe says otherwise, so always allow enough preparation time. Some of the flatbreads can be made in easy stages. For instance, the filling can be prepared in advance and resting times can often be varied to suit your scheme of work.
WHAT TO COOK ON
The different kinds of griddles are described in the general chapter on Equipment (p. 35). You can choose from the concave Indian subcontinental tawa or the flat Caribbean one, or even the convex Turkish saç. However, a heavy frying pan or a flat griddle is perfect for making the stovetop flatbreads. Always heat it in its dry state, i.e. without adding oil or butter, unless the recipe advises to the contrary. Once it is very hot, reduce the heat to medium, to prevent the flatbreads from browning too fast. Over-browning will result in a stiffer texture.
CHOICE OF FAT
The recipes for most of the Indian flatbreads offer you the choice of using vegetable oil, ghee or butter. Ghee and butter are richer and more flavourful than oil. If you use oil, make sure that it is a neutral type such as corn, peanut or sunflower. Olive oil is not suitable because its flavour is too pronounced. Never use the product advertised as ‘vegetable ghee’, which is simply another name for concentrated margarine. More information on ghee and other fats can be found in the Ingredients chapter (pp. 19–20).
BRUSH
Use a bristle or good silicone brush. Plastic ones will melt when they come into contact with the hot metal.
TURNING
A large, flat fish slice or metal spatula is useful for turning and pressing the flatbreads as they cook. Narrow or curved ones may cause tearing.
Wooden pastry boards and marble slabs are good surfaces for rolling out the flatbreads, but a silicone mat is even better because you will not need to add too much extra flour. Roll gently but firmly, changing position a few times to ensure an even thickness.
TRANSPORTING THE FLATBREADS
In the case of the thin griddle flatbreads, use the rolling pin to help transport them to the cooking surface. Otherwise, they may stretch or break. Always peel them gently off the rolling surface to prevent stretching. Put the rolling pin just above the centre of the flatbread and pick up the top quarter and wrap it loosely around the rolling pin, then gently roll the rolling pin downwards to collect the rest of the flatbread. Always do this loosely, or the dough might stick!
KEEPING THEM WARM
Have a large plate standing by to receive the griddle flatbreads. Place a spoon upside down on the plate and spread a tea towel (dish towel) over this. Each time a flatbread is cooked, wrap the tea towel around it, opening it only to add a fresh one. This will keep them reasonably warm and the spoon will prevent too much moisture from building up and making the bottom ones soggy. If you live in an area with a large Hispanic population, look out for a tortilla keeper – which also makes an ideal roti keeper. It is usually round, with a close-fitting lid and made from thick insulating plastic material. It is cheap and effective. Do, however, line these containers with some paper towels or a napkin to absorb some of the excess moisture.
LEFTOVERS
The three parathas (plain, alu roti and dal puri) can be wrapped and kept until next day in the refrigerator, or frozen for later. All the other flatbreads are best eaten fresh. Of the three, alu roti is the best keeper because the filling keeps it quite soft and pliable, and it is worth the effort to make an extra batch to freeze for another time. Fold the parathas into quarters and wrap individually in clingfilm (plastic wrap). Pack them into freezer bags, or keep them in the refrigerator for next day. To reheat, allow the frozen flatbreads to thaw at room temperature or thaw them very carefully in a microwave oven. Remove the clingfilm and wrap them in paper towels. Reheat briefly in the microwave, until just warmed through. If you leave them in for too long, they will become tough. They can also be eaten at room temperature.
My ancestors and their fellow voyagers were a motley bunch. Among them were wild Dhangar hill tribals, aloof Brahmins, proud Rajputs, Sepoys who deemed it politic to absent themselves temporarily from the scene, and wives who sought to escape domestic tyranny. Coerced, cajoled or kidnapped, fleeing justice or injustice, persuaded by the tempting tales of silver-tongued recruiters or by the stark reality of poverty, famine and scarcity, they crossed the Kala Pani, that endless stretch of unknown Black Water that separates India from the rest of the world.
The long and hazardous voyage ended in Demerara, a British colony that was on the verge of financial ruin because the newly emancipated slaves were unwilling to continue working in the sugar industry. My ancestors, each one of them, were bound by indentureship to a specific plantation. Once the terms of the indenture had expired, they could, in theory, invoke the repatriation clause in their contract and return to India as men and women of substance. But they stayed, all but a handful. By the time they had come to terms with the hollowness of promises made, they had lost all urge to return, and many found a new straw to clutch at: the settlement and colonization schemes that encouraged Indian labourers to commute their passages for land grants. Many did so willingly, realizing that the new colony had more to offer than they could hope for in India. Indeed, an immigration agent in charge at the time observed stereotypically – but nonetheless prophetically – that ‘the natives of India with their love of land and fondness of agriculture and pastoral pursuits will probably have a greater impact on the future of the colony than all the other races put together’. Despair and hopelessness were soon replaced by a vigorous determination to get ahead, and a new offshoot of India took root and started to bloom. In the same time frame, similar developments were taking place in Trinidad, Surinam and, to a lesser extent, Jamaica, and these would eventually enrich all of these Caribbean nations with a wealth of Indian-based culture: music, dance and religion and, above all, food.
The pattern of their diet was set from the start as each person was issued with daily rations. It was basic fare – mainly rice, lentils, cooking oil, masala, sugar and salt. Interestingly, the masala (the combination of spices needed to make a curry) was given to them ready-mixed. Later, when indentureship was over, the masala remained virtually unchanged, still relying heavily on basic local availability. This standardization, coupled with the subsequent use of proprietary brands of ‘curry powder’, has given Guyanese and other Caribbean curries their consistent, though by no means uniform, taste.
Roti and rice are still standard accompaniments to savoury dishes, especially in Indo-Caribbean households, and roti is also a form of local fast food, sold with the curry wrapped into it. Roti is a generic Hindi word for ‘bread’, which comes in several forms: thick, leavened sada roti; parathas stuffed with potato or split peas; and the extremely popular and time-consuming layered paratha often referred to as ‘oil roti’.
In recent years, the middle classes may have turned to bread and breakfast cereals, but in the not so distant past, when it was still common for extended families to live together, it was often the task of the newest daughter-in-law to produce the enormous piles of hot, flaky parathas required each morning and evening. To be adept at the kneading, folding and rolling is a matter of pride, as is the skill of turning out perfectly circular rotis. Less skilful practitioners of the art live in dread of the aspersions that may be cast on their efforts, and the blighting comparison of one’s roti to the map of Trinidad is a favourite put-down in Guyana. Look at a map of Trinidad to see why!
Of course, many of these expert roti rollers have had lots of practice. The slightest rumour of an event such as a wedding, wake or religiously tinted occasion (all of which seem to require large quantities of roti) produces a squad of volunteers, all armed with roti boards and rolling pins. These affairs are great social equalizers and even those women who no longer roll their own rotis in the comfort of their own homes pride themselves on keeping their hand in. Maids and mistresses roll side by side, tongues and hands moving apace as they entertain each other with an endless, cacophonous flow of gossip, chatter and witticisms, often bursting into snatches of Hindi melodies warranted by the occasion.
After all these preparations, guests are given a fresh lotus leaf and then wait for the train of servers to deposit their delicacies onto this environmentally friendly, disposable plate. The green, leafy scent permeates the food, giving eaters a sense of belonging and a flavourful reminder of their roots.
Caribbean parathas have a slightly different texture to Indian subcontinental ones. The layering technique used to make them produces several soft, paper-thin layers. The dough is kneaded, rolled out, brushed with ghee or oil, then coiled and re-rolled. Once it is cooked, the layers are separated.
In Trinidad, cooks give it a good whacking and the finished look, like the shreds of a garment, has earned it the local name of ‘buss-up shut’ (burst-up shirt). In Guyana, we clap the roti. The cook removes it from the griddle and tosses it into the air several times, catching it each time with a clapping motion before sending it up again. This is designed to break up the layers and loosen them – and sends volleys of crumbs flying into every nook and cranny of the kitchen. When I taught this technique to a group of ladies in Manila, I also showed them how to do it the mess-free and hand-friendly way: folding the roti into a tea towel (dish towel) and banging it with a fist, changing position a few times. All of them spurned this tip. They flung and clapped and showered the entire kitchen with a generous amount of crumbs. And once they had finished their own, they enquired solicitously and hopefully of slower neighbours if they needed any help. The tea towel method just isn’t that fun.
This recipe uses plain white flour, Caribbean-style, but you could also use very fine wholemeal flour (called atta in Indian groceries) or varying proportions of the two. I find the wholemeal version a little on the heavy side, but I often use a mixture of two-thirds white to one-third fine wholemeal flour with excellent results.
250 g/9 oz/1⅔ cups plain (all-purpose) flour (or 150 g/5½ oz/1 cup plain and 100 g/3½ oz/ ⅔ cup very fine wholemeal flour)
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp baking powder
about 150 ml/5 fl oz/⅔ cup lukewarm water
2 tsp vegetable oil or ghee
about 100 ml/3½ fl oz/scant ½ cup vegetable oil, or ghee or melted butter
flour for dredging + small bowl of flour for dipping
a tawa (preferably flat), or griddle or heavy frying pan
At least 2 hours for kneading, resting and shaping; and about 20 minutes for rolling and cooking.
Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, water and oil to make a soft and pliable dough. You can do this by hand, or in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. A food processor fitted with a kneading attachment makes really quick work of it.
Shape the dough into a ball and put in a bowl. Cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) or a damp cloth and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes.
Knead the dough again lightly and divide into 4 pieces, shaping them into balls. Lightly oil a large plate. Roll out a piece of dough to form a 24-cm/9-in circle. Brush the circle with oil (1). Dredge with flour; this is important, or you won’t get the layers!
Make a cut in the dough from edge to centre and roll up to form a cone (2). Press the cone down through the centre to form a bun shape (3 and 4), then put it on the oiled plate and cover with clingfilm. Shape the remaining pieces of dough in the same way. Leave to rest again for at least 30 minutes.
When you are ready to start cooking the parathas, preheat the tawa or griddle. Put a second plate near to the stove, then invert a spoon on it and cover with a tea towel (dish towel) – this will keep the parathas warm while protecting them from condensation. Keep a second tea towel handy.
Dip a dough bun on both sides in the small bowl of flour and then roll out to a circle a little smaller than the first time; this will give a flakier effect. Slap it onto the tawa or griddle. Brush the top with oil. After a minute or so, turn it over and brush the second side with oil. Cook on both sides until small golden flecks appear; overcooking will make them crisp and hard. Transfer to the second tea towel and fold to cover it.
Dip the second piece of dough into the small bowl of flour. Roll out and slap onto the tawa. While it is cooking, bash the cooked paratha that is in the tea towel with your fist to break up the layers, changing its position a few times during the process (5 and 6). Fold and place on the plate and cover with the tea towel. Check the paratha on the tawa and continue the process as before.
Eat warm. Serve with a dish that has a rich sauce, such as curry.
These potato-stuffed flatbreads belong to the paratha family, which includes parathas stuffed with grated radish, split peas and even crude sugar. This is one of the more forgiving recipes. The flatbreads stay soft and pliable and also freeze well, individually wrapped, so it is worth the effort to make up a big batch. Alu roti are especially popular in Indian communities in the Caribbean, where they are used to accompany gravy-laden curries. But they are also delicious on their own: smeared with hot pickle or chutney, they make a tasty snack. Bear in mind that the filling will have to compete with the dough, so over-season it a little and taste, making any necessary adjustments.
400 g/14 oz floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (peeled weight)
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cumin
⅛ tsp ground chilli
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
250 g/9 oz/1⅔ cups plain (all-purpose) flour
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp sugar
160 ml/5½ fl oz/generous ⅔ cup lukewarm water
a few tablespoons oil, for cooking
a tawa (preferably flat), or griddle or heavy frying pan
The filling should be made in advance. Set aside at least 2 hours for kneading, resting and shaping and another 30 minutes for rolling and cooking.
For the filling, first boil the potatoes, then mash them very well. If you have a ricer, use it. If not, be very thorough – the mash must be totally lump-free. Add the remaining ingredients to the potato and mix well, then leave to cool. When cool, shape into six balls, cover and set aside.
For the dough, sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the sugar and water and knead for a few minutes, or until the dough is very supple. You can do this by hand, or in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. A food processor fitted with a kneading attachment makes really quick work of it. Cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and set aside to rest for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
Now knead the dough for a minute or two, then divide into 6 pieces. Flatten each piece in your palm. Put a ball of potato in the centre (1), then coax the dough around it (2) and pinch the edges to seal (3). Brush the surface with oil. Keep covered on a well-floured surface or an oiled plate, well apart, until you are ready to start rolling them. When the last piece of dough has been filled, you can start making the rotis.
Preheat the tawa or griddle. Flatten a dough ball with your hand and roll evenly to a 20-cm/8-in circle. Try not to let the filling escape, but if a little does, don’t despair. This roti is quite forgiving. Brush the tawa with oil and slap the roti onto it. Brush the top with more oil. Turn after a minute or two and brush with a little more oil. The roti should balloon. It is cooked when both sides are faintly speckled. Don’t let it brown, or it will become hard. Fold the roti into a quarter circle on the griddle, then transfer to a plate and wrap it in a tea towel to keep warm while you make the rest.
Eat warm, served with curry. Alternatively, roll up and eat cold as a snack.
Dal puri is another member of the paratha family and this is the roti that Caribbean Indians make when they want to lend a festive air to an occasion. The stuffing of yellow split peas must be made in advance, and the boiled peas have to cool before they can be ground to the right consistency, so be sure to budget enough time. Before the advent of the food processor, the peas were boiled very soft and passed through a sieve (strainer), which was quite a chore. Nowadays, a few bursts of power with the food processor do the trick, but remember that the filling must be extremely finely ground, or it will tear the dough. Once the filling and the dough have been made, they can be put together a few hours later, ready to be eaten warm. Like the potato-stuffed flatbreads, dal puri also make an excellent snack on their own.
This is one of the more challenging flatbreads to make. Practised cooks can roll the same dough (without bursting) to a thinner and larger disc than described in the recipe. Mrs Lee, the cook at my school (St Rose’s High School, Georgetown), was such an expert and her ‘puri and sour’ (dal puri with a smear of hot green mango sauce) was one of the most popular items on the menu. So light was her hand that I once saw a girl’s dal puri literally sail off her plate into the air as she rounded the draughty corner of the canteen building, landing on the ground in front of our amazed eyes.
125 g/4½ oz/scant ⅔ cup dried yellow split peas
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
⅛ tsp ground chilli (or to taste)
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala (optional)
scant ½ tsp salt, or to taste
1 tbsp oil
250 g/9 oz/1⅔ cups plain (all-purpose) flour
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp sugar
about 150 ml/5 fl oz/⅔ cup lukewarm water
2 tsp oil
a few tablespoons oil, for cooking
a tawa (preferably flat), griddle or heavy frying pan
The filling should be made in advance. Set aside at least 2 hours for kneading, resting and shaping and another 30 minutes for rolling and cooking.
For the filling, rinse the split peas in a sieve (strainer) and put them in a pan with about 500 ml/17 fl oz/generous 2 cups water. Cover the pan and bring to the boil. Give the peas a good stir and lower the heat, then allow to simmer until just cooked; this will take 12–20 minutes, depending on how fresh the peas are. The peas should still be firm, or it will be difficult to grind them. (The water froths a lot, so you may need to leave an opening between the pan and lid to let the steam escape.) Drain and allow to cool.
Put the cooled peas with the spices and salt in a food processor, and then pulse until very fine. Stir in the oil and set aside in a cool place until needed.
For the dough, sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the sugar, water and oil and knead for a few minutes to make a soft and supple dough. You can do this by hand, or in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. A food processor fitted with a kneading attachment makes really quick work of it. Shape the dough into a ball and rub some oil lightly over it with your fingers. Cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.
Re-knead the dough for a minute or two and then divide it into 6 pieces. Flatten each piece on a lightly floured work surface to a diameter of about 13 cm/5 in. Press the outer edge to make it thinner than the rest. Brush lightly with oil, leaving about 2.5 cm/1 in free around the circumference. Put the disc of dough in your cupped palm. Spoon one-sixth of the filling into the centre, then coax the dough around it and pinch the edges to seal. Brush the surface with oil and put it on an oiled plate. Make the rest in the same way and space them well apart so that they won’t stick to each other. When the last piece of dough has been filled, you can start making the dal puris.
When you are ready to start cooking the dal puris, put a second plate near to the stove. Invert a spoon on it and cover with a tea towel (dish towel).
Preheat the tawa or griddle. Flatten a dough ball with your hand and roll evenly and gently to a 20-cm/8-in circle. The oil should keep it from sticking, especially if you use a silicone mat, but dust with flour if necessary. Try not to let the filling escape. Brush the tawa with oil and use the rolling pin to help carry the dal puri onto it.
Turn after a minute or two and brush with a little oil. Repeat with the other side. The flatbread is cooked when both sides are faintly speckled. Don’t let it brown, or it will become hard. Fold the dal puri in half on the griddle, then transfer to the plate and wrap it in the tea towel to keep warm while you make the rest.
Eat warm, served with curry. Alternatively, roll up and eat cold as a snack.
Meetha roti (literally ‘sweet bread’) is not something everyone can expect to taste. It is usually made by an indulgent grandmother, mother or maid for any children hanging around the kitchen. A small piece of the dough used for making the rest of the rotis is reserved, stuffed with sugar, then cooked on the tawa until the sugar dissolves. There’s a good reason for cooking this one last. It makes a huge mess on the tawa because the dough is almost bound to burst, releasing sugar that subsequently caramelizes and burns, making quite a bit of work for the person who has to clean up. If you are undeterred and would like to try it, take a portion of dough (half the regular size) from the basic recipe for any of the parathas. Flatten it in your palm and fill the centre with about 2 tsp white or brown sugar. Pinch the edges to seal in a ball again and flatten on your work surface. Roll out to the size of a saucer and cook as for a filled paratha. The sugar is very hot when it comes off the heat, so wait a few minutes before eating it.
This thick, breadlike roti is a great favourite with the older generation in Guyana and it is one of the simplest kinds to make. Many people like it to have a few crisply charred spots on the outside, and the old-fashioned clay fireplaces, which were fed with fresh wood, gave a lovely smoky flavour if the cooked roti was shifted slightly off the tawa so that the direct heat could catch it. It makes a good accompaniment for grilled meats as well as curries.
250 g/9 oz/1⅔ cups plain (all-purpose) flour
2½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp finely chopped onion
1 green or red bird’s-eye chilli, finely chopped
about 150 ml/5 fl oz/⅔ cup lukewarm water
1 tbsp oil, ghee or butter, plus about 3 tbsp for brushing
a tawa (preferably flat), or griddle or heavy frying pan
Set aside at least 1 hour for kneading and resting, and about 20 minutes for rolling and cooking.
Mix together all the ingredients to make a supple dough. You can do this by hand, or in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. A food processor fitted with a kneading attachment makes really quick work of it.
Shape the dough into a ball, then put it in an oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap). Leave to rest for 30–60 minutes. Re-knead the dough lightly, then divide into 4 pieces. Roll out each piece to a 15-cm/6-in circle, dredging with a little flour if necessary.
Preheat the tawa. When the pan is hot, turn the heat down. Slap a roti onto it and cook until tiny brown spots appear on the bottom. Flip the roti over and allow the other side to cook. Brush with oil, ghee or butter on both sides and keep wrapped in a tea towel until ready to eat.
Besan means chickpea flour in Hindi, and that is the main flavouring ingredient in these nutty-tasting flatbreads. Many Indian recipes recommend coiling the dough before rolling it, but I find that there is too little to be gained by this step. The stickiness of the chickpea flour prevents effective layering, so I prefer to save time and effort by rolling just once. Instead of making full-sized rotis, you could also make tiny ones and serve them as appetizers, topped with spicy titbits of meat or with roasted or grilled vegetables. Try to get besan from an Indian grocer or well-stocked supermarket; Mediterranean chickpea flour is not quite the same.
125 g/4½ oz/scant 1 cup chickpea flour (besan)
175 g/6 oz/scant 1¼ cups plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt, or to taste
2 tsp garam masala*
small handful coriander (cilantro) or flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp oil, ghee or butter
about 150 ml/5 fl oz/⅔ cup lukewarm water
about 3 tbsp melted butter, for brushing
a tawa (preferably flat), or griddle or heavy frying pan
Set aside at least 1 hour for kneading and resting, and about 20 minutes for rolling and cooking.
Make a supple dough from all the ingredients. You can do this by hand, or in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. A food processor fitted with a kneading attachment makes really quick work of it.
Shape the dough into a ball. Put it in a lightly oiled bowl, then cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and leave to rest for 30–60 minutes. Re-knead the dough lightly, then divide into 4 pieces. Put one piece on a well-floured surface, such as a silicone mat, and roll out to a circle with a diameter of 18–20 cm/7–8 in, dredging with flour as necessary.
Preheat the tawa and once it is hot, reduce the heat to low. Slap a flatbread onto it and let it cook until small bubbles appear on the surface. Flip it over and allow the other side to cook. Brush both sides with melted butter and keep wrapped in a tea towel until ready to eat.
* If you don’t have garam masala, use the following mixture:
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp ground allspice
My pocket Turkish dictionary succinctly defines börek as ‘flaky pastry, pie’. It is actually an umbrella name for a myriad of savoury pastries that form one of Turkey’s favourite snacks. Both pastry and filling can vary greatly, and there are endless combinations to be made. Lean bread dough, plain filo pastry, filo pastry enriched with eggs and even puff pastry are all used to enclose fillings based on cheese or meat, seasoned and shaped in various ways. They are then fried, baked or griddled. Su börek (water börek) is a remarkable Anatolian variant: sheets of enriched filo are precooked, then layered, like lasagna, with a filling of (the ubiquitous) cheese or meat, nuts and dried fruit, which is, finally, baked in the oven.
This recipe uses a fairly plain dough with a meat filling. The pasties make a delicious lunch or supper dish, supplemented by a soup or generous salad. In Turkey, they would be cooked in a saç, a griddle shaped like an upturned shallow wok, but they are easy to make at home using a heavy frying pan. Two things are very important here: the meat must be very lean and the tomato must be fleshy and not watery, or you will end up with a soggy, mushy product. Both the filling and the dough can be made several hours in advance and kept in a cool place until you are ready to assemble the pasties. This recipe makes two, and they will fit comfortably together in the frying pan. It is easily doubled to make a second batch.
For a vegetarian suggestion, see overleaf.
125 g/4½ oz/scant 1 cup strong white (bread) flour
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
about 5 tbsp lukewarm water
100 g/3½ oz/scant 1 cup lean minced (ground) lamb or beef
1 tbsp very finely chopped onion
generous ¼ tsp salt, or to taste
a few sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
generous grind of pepper
or sprinkle of chilli flakes
1 small tomato, deseeded and chopped
butter, for brushing
flour, for dredging
large heavy frying pan
Set aside about 1½ hours for kneading and resting, and about 30 minutes for assembling and cooking.
Combine the ingredients for the dough and knead well for several minutes. The dough should be soft but not sticky. This dough can also be kneaded in a food processor fitted with a plastic kneading attachment or a mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Shape the dough into a ball and place it on an oiled plate. Dust with flour and cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap). Set aside until needed, or at least for 1 hour.
Combine the filling ingredients and set aside. If you are going to set it aside for several hours, omit the tomato, and add it just before you are ready to use the filling.
Preheat a large, heavy frying pan.
Divide the dough into 2 pieces and roll one piece out to a circle with a diameter of about 25 cm/10 in, or slightly smaller if your frying pan is not that large. Spread half of the filling over half of the circle, leaving about 2 cm/1 in free along the edge. Moisten the edge of the dough with a little water and fold to form a semi-circle. Press down the edges to seal. This is important, or the filling will leak out while cooking.
Transfer the pasty to the hot pan and make the other one in the same way. Both will fit in the pan at the same time. After a few minutes, flip over a pasty to check if there are nice golden patches. When both sides are cooked, transfer to plates and brush with butter. Eat warm.
For a vegetarian version, use the filling for Cheese and Parsley Buns on p. 253.
This Turkish flatbread is traditionally made using a yoghurt starter, a bit of which is kept back for subsequent batches. I have added a pinch of yeast to give it a nudge in the right direction and because of this, the starter needs to rest only overnight.
2 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
2 tbsp yoghurt
2 tbsp warm water
1 tsp sugar
⅛ tsp yeast
250 g/9 oz/1⅔ cups strong white (bread) flour
¼ tsp salt
about 125 ml/4 fl oz/½ cup lukewarm water
about 3 tbsp melted butter, for brushing
large heavy frying pan
The starter must be made the day before. Set aside at least 1 hour the next day for kneading and resting, and about 15 minutes for rolling and cooking.
For the starter, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap). Leave at room temperature overnight.
Next day, make a soft dough using the starter and all the remaining ingredients. You can do this by hand, or in a mixer fitted with a dough hook. A food processor fitted with a kneading attachment makes really quick work of it.
Shape the dough into a ball. Put this in an oiled bowl, then cover with clingfilm and leave to rest for 30–60 minutes.
Re-knead the dough lightly and divide into 2 pieces. Put one piece on a well-floured surface, such as a silicone mat, and pat or roll into a 20-cm/8-in circle, dredging with flour as necessary.
Preheat the frying pan. Slap a flatbread onto it and let it cook until tiny brown spots appear on the bottom. Flip it over and allow the other side to cook. Brush with melted butter on both sides and keep covered with a tea towel until ready to eat.
These Turkish flatbreads are quite easy to prepare. They are a kind of meat pizza and make a delicious snack or lunch component. They are generally quite mildly spiced, but a sprinkle of chilli flakes, as used here, will liven them up.
125 g/4½ oz/scant 1 cup strong white (bread) flour
¾ tsp easy-blend (active dry) yeast
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
about 5 tbsp lukewarm water
150 g/5½ oz/generous 1¼ cups lean minced (ground) lamb or beef
1½ tbsp very finely chopped onion
½ tsp salt, or to taste
a few sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
generous grind of pepper
or sprinkle of chilli flakes
1 large tomato, deseeded and chopped
This is a yeast dough, so it will need to rise. Set aside about 2½ hours for the whole process, including baking for 15–20 minutes.
Combine the ingredients for the dough and knead well for several minutes. The dough should be soft but not sticky. This dough can also be kneaded in a food processor fitted with a plastic kneading attachment or a mixer fitted with a dough hook.
Shape the dough into a ball and put it in a bowl. Cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) or a tea towel (dish towel) wrung out in hot water and leave in a warm, draught-free place until doubled in volume.
Combine the filling ingredients, except the tomato, and set aside. Add the tomato just before you are ready to use the filling.
Knock back the risen dough and knead briefly, then divide into 2 portions.
Roll out one portion to a 24-cm/9-in circle and spread half of the filling on it, leaving about 2.5 cm/1 in free around the edge. Fold about 1 cm/½ in of the dough edge inwards and then fold it again, so you get a double thickness that forms a raised ridge. Pinch two opposing sides together to form a point, so that the flatbread is shaped like a boat, and place it on a baking sheet. Repeat with the second portion of dough and filling.
Leave to rest for about 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
Bake the flatbreads for 15–20 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown around the edges.
