navajo flatbreads

method

These flatbreads are a sort of cross between Mexican
tortillas and Indian naan breads. They’re used for breakfast,
lunch, or dinner and carry, complement, or mop up whatever
is being served with them. Apparently, in the old days, if a
Navajo woman couldn’t whip up a batch of fluffy flatbreads,
her chances of marrying a decent guy were pretty low. No
pressure! These are brilliantly simple to make.

Mix your flour, salt, baking powder, and herbs or spices (if using)
in a large bowl, using a fork. Make a well in the center, then pour
in the olive oil and about 2⁄3 cup of warm water. Use the fork to
gradually bring in the fl our from the edge of the bowl, and add
another splash of water if you think it’s too dry. Once it starts
to combine, wet your hands and use them to really bring it all
together until you have a nice ball of dough.

Dust your hands and a clean worktop with fl our and knead the
dough with your hands until it is smooth and elastic. This will
take 5 to 10 minutes. Pop the dough back into the bowl, dust it
with a bit more flour, then cover and leave to relax.

Divide your dough into 10 equal-sized balls, then lightly oil your
hands and squeeze each ball between your palms to flatten it
slightly. Dust with a little fl our as you go, and pat and slap the
dough from the palm of one hand to the top of the other. Turn
and twist the dough about in a circular movement as you go and
keep slapping from hand to hand – each flatbread should be
about ½ inch thick. You’ll probably mess up a few, but practice
makes perfect.

Normally the flatbreads are cooked as you’re making them. You
can do this on a grill or in a nonstick frying pan on a medium
heat. Cook them for a few minutes on each side and check the
underside – you want them to puff up with a nice bit of golden
color. Keep them warm in a basket covered with a dish towel until
you’re ready to serve them.

Serve them while they’re lovely and warm, or you can reheat them
with anything from burgers, to stews and soups, to salads.

serves: 10

ingredients

• Scant 5 cups white bread flour,
plus extra for dusting
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 heaped tablespoons baking powder
• optional: 1 teaspoon dried herbs or spices,
such as thyme, parsley, sumac (see
page 66), or crushed fennel seeds
• 1⁄3 cup olive oil