Flatbreads
Some version of flatbread can be found around the world, made from grains and legumes. Here are some of the Roan Mills go-to flatbreads. These are versatile kitchen staples that range from naan, pita, to tortillas.
Sonora Wheat Lean Flatbread
At its most basic, a flatbread is flour mixed with enough water to make a supple dough, somewhere around 50% hydration. Our Sonora flour is 100% stone milled with a gorgeous golden color and a soft wheat flavor that makes a flatbread in no time flat. Master this and redefine snacking. Similar to a naan or a pita bread.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6 people
4 cups Roan Mills Sonora wheat flour
2 cups water
Preparation
Prep: 30 min • Cook: 2 min • Ready in: 32 min
To prepare the dough mix the flour with water and knead until the dough is fully mixed. Allow the dough to rest in a covered bowl for 20 minutes. The dough will feel sticky. Flour your work surface, give the dough a couple of folds and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Use a gentle touch. Round these pieces and cover them lightly with a kitchen towel to keep the dough from drying out. Heat a 10“ cast iron skillet or griddle over high heat. While the griddle preheats place one round of dough on the floured surface, press it flat with your hand and use a rolling pin to roll out a thin flatbread. Use flour as needed to keep it from sticking and don't press with much force. The shape of the flatbread is up to you, oblongs are easiest but round isn't too hard to master. Once you have a thin flatbread, lift it from one edge and allow it to drape across your hand. Transfer the flatbread in a swift motion onto the very hot skillet or griddle. Watch as bubbles appear across its surface. After 30-60 seconds flip it over to the other side for another 30-60 seconds. The heat must be at least 500 degrees. As the heat builds the flatbreads will cook faster. Don't try to fix any folds or wrinkles you may have created as the flatbread will taste fine even with these imperfections. Practice will refine the results. Remove the flatbread to a towel-draped plate to keep warm as you prepare the next one. It’s possible to work this into a smooth routine with just a little practice but it’s also a nice project for a team of two, one rolling flatbreads, the other cooking them. The cooked flatbreads can be brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt or brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with sugar depending on your preference. They are also marvelous served plain alongside a hearty stew or as a wrapper for grilled protein. Leftover flatbreads can be reheated on a hot griddle after moistening the surface with a spritz of water.
Recipe from the Roan Mills test kitchen
Sonora Wheat Enriched Flatbreads
AKA tortillas, these are flatbreads with fat. Choose the fat: butter, vegetable shortening, coconut oil, or lard. These, alone or in any combination will bring a flaky texture to the flatbread and a more complex flavor that is irresistible. At the Roan Mills test kitchen we often use lard and prefer to render our own from humanely raised pigs.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6 people
4 cups Roan Mills Sonora wheat flour
½ cup lard
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup water
Preparation
Prep: 30 min • Cook: 2 min • Ready in: 32 min
Combine the flour, salt and the lard and mix until the fat has melded with the flour to create a mealy texture. Begin to mix in the water and once the dough begins to hold together begin to knead it gently until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a 10' cast iron skillet or griddle over high heat. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and round these using a gentle touch and cover them with the damp towel. When the skillet/griddle is hot, place a ball of dough on a floured work surface and press it flat. Using a rolling pin begin to flatten the dough with light pressure and working clockwise, roll the dough into a 6" disc. Lift the flatbread from one edge and allow it to drape across your hand. Transfer the flatbread in a swift motion onto the hot surface of the skillet. Bubbles will appear and it may puff, flip it over after 30 seconds and cook the other side for 30 seconds. As the heat builds the cooking will go faster and the heat may need to be adjusted down. Pile the cooked flatbreads onto a towel-draped plate to keep them warm. Serve alongside any savory stews, grilled meats, vegetables or use as a wrapper for portable meals. In the Roan Mills test kitchen we wrap up spicy scrambled eggs before heading out to farmers markets in the wee hours of the morning. These flatbreads can be reheated after they've cooled but they are at their best hot from the griddle.
Recipe from the Roan Mills test kitchen
Sonora Wheat Enriched and Flavored Flatbreads
A thoughtful cook, working with materials at hand, will discover that flatbreads are a vehicle for using up small amounts of leftovers, greens, herbs and bits of charcuterie. Here we include chopped chives as a riff on the classic Szechuan onion pancake. These are great served as an afternoon snack with a soy, garlic, chile and sesame seed dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6 people
4 cups Roan Mills Sonora wheat flour
½ cup lard
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup chopped chives
1 cup water
¼ cup sesame oil
Grape seed oil for frying
Preparation
Prep: 30 min • Cook: 6 min • Ready in: 36 min
Combine the flour, salt and the lard and mix until the fat has melded with the flour to create a mealy texture. Begin to mix in the water and once the dough begins to hold together begin to knead it gently until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and allow it to rest ten minutes before dividing it into 6 equal pieces. Round these using gentle pressure and keep them covered to prevent their drying out. Flour the work surface and flatten a round of dough with your hand, use flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking as you roll out a thin, round disc. Brush the surface with sesame oil, then sprinkle the surface of the flatbread with a heaping tablespoon of chopped chives. Roll the flatbread into a cylinder and coil this into a circle, flour the work surface again and use the rolling pin to roll out a flat, thin disc about 6" in diameter. Stack the flatbreads between sheets of parchment as you work through the dozen. Preheat a 10” cast iron skillet over high heat on your stovetop, pour cooking oil to about ⅛" and heat over high flame. Fry a flatbread until very crisp, about 3 minutes on each side, keep flatbreads warm on a towel-draped plate set over a pan of simmering water. Cut the flatbreads into wedges and serve with a dipping sauce that’s equal parts soy sauce and black vinegar with a little fresh grated ginger and chilli sauce.
Recipe from the Roan Mills test kitchen
Sonora Wheat Pancakes
A good pancake recipe is indispensable for anyone seeking domestic bliss and ours is worth a try. Our Roan Mills Sonora flour is particularly well suited to pancakes with its golden color and sweet wheat flavor. Served with maple syrup and fresh butter or yoghurt and fresh berries, breakfast feels like a celebration. The batter can be made ahead and stored in the fridge overnight or up to 1 day. Add a little milk to loosen it up as it will thicken upon standing.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6 people
2 cups Roan Mills Sonora Wheat Flour
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons melted butter plus butter for the griddle
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Preparation
Prep: 15 min • Cook: 5 min • Ready in: 20 min
Combine dry ingredients in one bowl and mix well. In another bowl, whisk eggs together and stir in the remaining wet ingredients. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. This batter should rest a few minutes while you preheat your cast iron griddle over medium high heat. Butter the surface of the hot griddle and pour about ¼ cup of batter onto the center of the griddle. Allow it to cook until the surface of the pancake shows pinholes and takes on a matte sheen, flip the pancake to cook the other side and remove to a towel-draped plate to keep warm as you work through the batter or serve hot as they come off the griddle, one at a time.
Recipe from the Roan Mills test kitchen
Buckwheat Flatbreads Lean
A durable and reliable food plant, buckwheat thrives in a wide variety of climates, soil types and difficult conditions. It produces an abundance of nutritious seeds in a matter of weeks and has kept human beings well fed for thousands of years. Buckwheat has been popular in Russia, Japan, Korea, Italy and France for as long as people have been living there. At Roan Mills we mill the entire seed and produce a dark flour with a pronounced buckwheat flavor that is high in protein and contains no gluten. Our basic flatbread is made from the simplest ingredients, just water and flour. If you prefer a more mild flavor and softer center, substitute ½ of the buckwheat flour with all purpose flour.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6 people
4 cups Roan Mills Buckwheat flour
2 cups water plus extra to create supple dough
Preparation
Prep: 30 min • Cook: 2 min • Ready in: 32 min
In keeping with the general rule of thumb, flatbreads are hydrated at about 50% but buckwheat flour is a little thirsty and will require a little more. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough is supple and holds together. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Round these and cover them with a clean kitchen towel to keep them from drying out while you shape and bake the flatbreads. Preheat a 10” cast iron skillet or griddle on high heat on your stovetop. Sprinkle the work surface with flour and take a dough ball out, press it flat with your hand and begin rolling it into a round, thin, disc with a rolling pin, use flour to keep from sticking, work quickly and without great force. Lift the flatbread by an edge and drape it across your hand to transfer it to the hot griddle. Don’t try to fix any wrinkles or folds as the flatbreads will taste fine even with these imperfections. Practice will refine the technique. Flip the flatbread after 30-60 seconds to cook the other side and transfer the flatbread to a towel-draped plate to keep warm while you make the next one. Serve these dark and flavorful buckwheat flatbreads while still warm, they pair well with savory bean dishes and creamy scrambled eggs and any kind of smoked salmon concoction.
Recipe from the Roan Mills test kitchen
Buckwheat Flatbread Enriched
In lean times flatbreads were made from just flour and water but in times of plenty they were enriched with fat and salt. This version is flaky and extravagant.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6 people
4 cups Roan Mills Buckwheat flour
½ cup lard
2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup water plus extra to make a supple dough
Preparation
Prep: 30 min • Cook: 2 min • Ready in: 32 min
Combine the flour, salt and the lard and mix until the fat has melded with the flour to create a mealy texture. Add the water and once the dough begins to hold together knead it gently until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a 10" cast iron skillet or griddle over high heat. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Round these using a gentle touch and cover the balls with the damp towel. When the skillet/griddle is hot, pull out a ball of dough, sprinkle flour on your work surface and press the ball flat with your hands. Using a rolling pin begin to flatten the dough with light pressure and working clockwise, roll the dough into a 6" disc. Lift the flatbread from one edge and allow it to drape across your hand. Transfer the flatbread in a swift motion onto the hot surface of the skillet. Bubbles will appear and it may puff. Flip it over after 30 seconds and cook the other side for 30 seconds. As the heat builds the cooking will go faster and the heat may need to be adjusted down. Pile the cooked flatbreads onto a towel-draped plate to keep them warm. Rich, meaty stews, roasted vegetables with melted cheese and other rich flavors pair well with these dark and flavorful flatbreads.
Recipe from the Roan Mills test kitchen
Buckwheat Flatbreads Enriched and Flavored
While the flavor of buckwheat is assertive enough it’s also interesting paired with chocolate. We love this version wrapped around bits of grilled chicken, sprinkled with a dusting of cinnamon and a sprinkling of chopped mint.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6 people
4 cups Roan Mills Buckwheat flour
½ cup lard
2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup water plus extra to make a supple dough
½ cup cocoa powder
Preparation
Prep: 30 min • Cook: 2 min • Ready in: 32 min
Combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt and the lard and mix until the fat has melded with the flour to create a mealy texture. Begin to mix in the water and once the dough begins to hold together begin to knead it gently until the dough is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a 10" cast iron skillet or griddle over high heat. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and round these, using a gentle touch and cover the balls with the damp towel. When the skillet/griddle is hot, pull out a ball of dough, sprinkle flour on your work surface and press the ball flat with your hands. Using a rolling pin begin to flatten the dough with light pressure and working clockwise, roll the dough into a 6" disc. Lift the flatbread from one edge and allow it to drape across your hand. Transfer the flatbread in a swift motion onto the hot surface of the skillet. Bubbles will appear and it may puff. Flip it over after 30 seconds and cook the other side for 30 seconds. As the heat builds the cooking will go faster and the heat may need to be adjusted down. Keep the cooked flatbreads warm by stacking them on a towel-draped plate. Serve them while still warm. Leftovers can be reheated. Dampen the flatbread and toss it onto a hot griddle for 30 seconds on each side.
Recipe from the Roan Mills test kitchen
Buckwheat Galette
A quick fix, these buckwheat galettes make a great afternoon snack. Spread these with a spoonful of marmalade and serve alongside a cup of coffee or strong, black tea.
Ingredients
Serves 2 people
⅓ cup of Roan Mills Buckwheat Flour
1 egg
2/3 cup milk Butter for the pan
Preparation
Prep: 16 min • Cook: 4 min • Ready in: 20 min
Blend the batter and let it stand for 10 minutes. The buckwheat flour is thirsty and it will thicken upon standing. Preheat a 10” cast iron skillet over medium high heat and melt ½ teaspoon of butter. Pour about ¼ cup of batter onto the skillet and use an offset spatula to spread the batter into a 6” disc. Cook the galette for 30-60 seconds or until small holes appear on the surface and the surface takes on a matte appearance. Flip the galette and cook the other side for 30-60 seconds and remove to a towel-draped plate to keep warm while you cook the next one or serve them straight from the hot griddle as you go. Remember to butter the pan before adding batter and keep the heat hot but not smoking.
Recipe from the Roan Mills test kitchen
Buckwheat Pancakes
These pancakes are tender and sweet and also gluten free. Serve them with fruit compote and fresh butter.
Ingredients
Serves 4-6 people
2 cups Roan Mills Buckwheat Flour
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons melted butter plus butter for the griddle
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Preparation
Prep: 15 min • Cook: 5 min • Ready in: 20 min
Combine dry ingredients in one bowl and mix well. In another bowl, whisk eggs together and stir in the remaining wet ingredients. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. This batter should rest a few minutes to thicken, add a little milk to loosen it if needed. Meanwhile, preheat your cast iron griddle over medium high heat. Butter the surface of the hot griddle and pour about ¼ cup of batter onto the center of the griddle. Allow it to cook until the surface of the pancake shows pinholes and takes on a matte sheen. Flip the pancake to cook the other side. Place it on a towel-draped plate to keep warm as you work through the batter or serve hot as they come off the griddle, one at a time.
Recipe from the Roan Mills test kitchen
Emmer Wheat Yeasted Flatbread
Basically, any bread dough can be repurposed as a flatbread. Once the dough has developed it can be divided into golf ball sized pieces, rounded, rolled flat and cooked on a hot, cast iron skillet or griddle that has been brushed with oil. They can also be cooked on a pizza stone in a 500 degree oven, brush the tops with oil before baking. These flatbreads will be soft and fluffy and tend to puff up while cooking. Serve the flatbreads while hot with dips, stews or as a wrap for a sandwich.
Ingredients
Serves 8-10 people
5½ cups Roan Mills Emmer flour
2 cups boiling water
½ cup plain kefir or yoghurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons yeast
½ cup warm water
Grape seed oil for cooking on a griddle
Olive oil for brushing the flatbreads
Sea salt for sprinkling on the flatbreads, optional
Preparation
Prep: 2 hr • Cook: 10 min • Ready in: 2 hr & 10min
In a large bowl, combine 4 cups of the flour with 2 cups boiling water and stir into a soft dough. Stir the yeast into the ½ cup of warm water and allow it to proof for 10 minutes. Mix the kefir/yoghurt the olive oil and salt into the boiled flour mixture and stir well the combine. When the dough is tepid (105-115 degrees) mix in the yeast. This very soft dough needs to be covered and left to rise in a warm place in the kitchen. Meanwhile, prepare your cook surface. Preheat a 10” cast iron skillet or griddle over medium high heat. Alternately, preheat the oven to 500 degrees and place a pizza stone on the bottom rack. Once the dough has developed for an hour begin to knead in the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour. Knead for 5 minutes or until it comes together as a smooth and elastic dough and then divide it into 6 even pieces. Round these and cover with a towel. When the griddle or oven is hot, remove a dough piece and roll it into a 6” x 10” rectangle. To cook on a griddle, turn the heat high and pour a little oil onto the surface of the griddle, spread it evenly with a wad of paper towel and drop the flatbread onto the hot surface. The flatbread will begin to bubble and may puff. Flip it over after 45 seconds to cook the other side. Keep cooked flatbreads warm on a towel-draped plate as you prepare the remaining pieces. To bake the flatbreads, slip the flatbread onto a well floured peel (or the back of a baking sheet), brush the top with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Place the flatbread onto the hot pizza stone and bake until golden brown on top, between 5 and 8 minutes. Keep baked flatbreads warm by stacking them on a towel-lined plate. Repeat the process until all the flatbreads are baked. Serve warm or at room temperature as an accompaniment to soups and stews or as a wrap for grilled meats and salads.
Recipe from the Roan Mills test kitchen