Flatbreads for lunch

Earlier today I’d put the grocery delivery away, cooked some sliced spring onions, prairie fire chilies and garlic to make a soup (from Nigella’s Kitchen book) for dinner and popped it all into the slow cooker along with yellow split peas and some vegetable stock. I made myself a cappuccino and realised it was after twelve and apart from a clementine and a carrot I hadn’t eaten anything else, so I was hungry. A clip of recipes, which I had cut from a magazine, fluttering on the fridge door caught my eye, so I decided to make flatbreads for lunch…

No kneading or heavy handling required for these unleavened flatbreads
The first one in the pan
Ooh looking good after turning, it’s only been a minute or so in the pan
Definitely puffing up
Completely puffed up – so exciting!
And on to the second, which looks strangely like an oven glove
Soft, fluffy and warm
Delicious!

Recipe adapted from September’s Good Housekeeping magazine.

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Flatbread recipe

250g self- raising flour, plus extra for rolling out

1/2 tsp cumin or nigella (aka black onion) seeds

1/8 tsp fine salt

150g natural yogurt

60ml water

Mix the seeds and a pinch of salt into the flour, gently stir in the yoghurt and the water to make a soft and sticky dough.

Tip dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide into four. I used my dough scraper. Each will weigh around 115g, if you like to be precise, rather than cut by eye.

Pat or gently roll to the thickness of 5 mm.

Heat a dry frying pan or griddle pan on a medium heat.

Cook the flatbread until golden on each side and puffy. Do not leave the hob! You will need to keep a close eye on them, it’s so easy to burn flatbreads. I cooked them for about 1 – 1 1/2 minutes on each side before I turned them, using a plastic fish slice, then back again after a minute or so until they puffed up. It’s magical watching them puff up, until they’re fully inflated.

Pop the cooked flatbread between a folded tea towel to keep warm while you cook the rest. I cooked one at a time.

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We ate the flatbread with tuna and a simple salad of: watercress, a little gem lettuce, quartered cucumber slices and ripe juicy tomatoes, with a dollop of mayo. Food of the gods.

Someone mixes his tuna with mayo. I like mine with sliced spring onions, freshly ground black pepper and salad cream. Each to their own, but mine is better!

Of course these flatbreads would also go really well with soup, another type of salad or eggs for lunch, or a casserole or curry for dinner too. The original recipe was with a harissa chicken stew, which appeals as well. The possibilities are endless. I could also see them being the ultimate comfort food spread with some melted butter and a little raspberry jam or (fresh?) lemon curd. Or maybe for dinner brush with garlic butter, herby butter or a combo of the two when cooked…?!

Note: if there are two of you and you are greedy make HALF the quantity. You will eat both! You probably don’t need to ask me how I know.

Mr Scrappy (and the Hilton crochet)

I’ve got a stinking cold but have enjoyed doing a bit more of my Hilton crochet for the bag I’m making…

 

 I wanted a smaller thing to make so Mr Scrappy was the project I began yesterday…

 

I really really needed some advice about stitch markers, so tweeted and got some from the ever-helpful Lynne.

The method above works sooo well!

Mr Scrappy seemed like a great way to use up my odds and ends, though as you see I lost the plot a bit last night and used all green for one of his legs or arms! Blame it on watching/listening to Red Dwarf while counting the stitches in the round…

You can also get the pattern here….

Thanks Stacey!

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Finally, here’s what I’ll make for dinner tomorrow…

I love chicken

I love chickpeas

I love sweet and savoury together

So this recipe from my Good Food Magazine, also available on their excellent website will be perfect.

YUM.