I have been thinking of a bread recipe that I could just make at any time of the day, but especially in the morning, and flatbreads seem to really hit the mark. In essence, these are not a million miles away from my GF Easy Breakfast Rolls, as it uses a self-raising (or self-rising in the US) flour and an acid source to activate the bicarbonate of soda. In that recipe I used yoghurt, in this one I will make my own "buttermilk", which will bring the acid.
Real buttermilk is the leftover liquid from buttermaking which is then fermented with a lactic acid bacteria, somewhat like yoghurt. You probably don't have any buttermilk hanging around your fridge, but we can make a suitable substitute by simply mixing milk and lemon juice and allow it to start curdling.
Soy milk works best for curdling with lemon juice, but oat or almond milk also work well. If you are not vegan, and it is acceptable to you, then dairy milk will also work.
I like to make these cheesy, so mix in some vegan cheese shreds, although a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast work well. Again, for non-vegans who accept dairy, dairy cheese shreds will work too.
Ingredients (Makes 4)
90-95ml unsweetened plant-based milk (e.g., soy, oat, almond) or dairy milk
5ml lemon juice (1 teaspoon)
A pinch of salt (not if using self-rising instead of self-raising!)
Optional: 30g of cheese shreds (vegan or dairy)
Optional: 1 tbsp olive oil (for a slightly richer dough)
Mix the milk and lemon juice in a small bowl or jug. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes to create a quick "buttermilk".
In a mixing bowl, add the flour, salt (if using) and cheese (if using). Gradually pour in the vegan buttermilk, stirring until a dough forms. If using olive oil, mix it in with the liquid.
Mix the dough well until it comes together. If it’s very sticky, add a small amount of extra flour. If too dry, add a teaspoon of your milk or water.
Heat a dry, non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
Divide the dough in four. Use your hands, and a little extra flour if needed, to flatten a portion on a floured sheet of parchment paper to your desired flatbread shape, about 3-5mm thick.
Place the shaped flatbread into the preheated pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown on one side. While it is cooking, you can prepare the next flatbread.
Flip the flatbread and brush the cooked side with a little oil. Cook the other side for another 3-4 minutes. Flip again and lightly oil again. Cook each side for about 30 seconds more each.
Repeat with the rest of the flatbreads.
Serve warm, on their own or with hummus, other vegan dips and spreads,. They can also be used as a small wrap.