Cookbooks were different before the internet. Instead of flashy/artsy/sumptuous/gorgeous pictures opposite one recipe per page, cookbooks were packed with recipes, one after another, in small print with no pictures. The recipes were intended to be cooked and consumed by your family rather than only consumed with your eyes. I like to read and cook from old cookbooks (posts tagged ‘oldy but goody’) to try the tools, techniques, and ingredients that were used. Among the most classic of these is Joy of Cooking. First published in 1931 it was more than a cookbook it was a handbook for women to maximize the economy and nutrition of their food budget.
One thing that was different in 1931 or even in 1975, when my edition was published, was our appreciation of other cultures and their foods (we obviously still have progress to make). This flatbread recipe suggests it is the same as all breads around the world that are not American sandwich bread. This flatbread, Joy suggests, is also called Armenian, Peda, Greek, Arab, Syrian, and Euphrates bread and can be stuffed with “exotic sandwich fillings.” The recipe's description indicates the same dough can be fried to make sopapillas. Basically, every ‘ethnic’ bread was considered to be the same and could be made with this recipe.
Anachronistic descriptions aside, this is an easy and reliable recipe for bread that is flat and delicious eaten plain with dinner, wrapped around meat, turned into personal pizzas, or dipped in palak paneer, even though it is not pita, pizza, or naan. As a bonus this flat bread can be cooked in the oven, on the grill, deep fried, or deep fried on the grill.
Flatbread from Joy of Cooking (1975; pg. 609-610) adapted and annotated by me.
1 packet of yeast or 2 ¼ tsp or 7g instant yeast
1 cup (237g) warm water
3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (6g) salt
1 tbsp fat (original recipe calls for shortening, I use olive oil or soft butter)
Put all the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium with the dough hook until a tight ball of dough forms and pulls from the sides. Continue mixing on low for 2-3 minutes to knead the dough. Remove dough from the dough hook and place it in a greased or oiled bowl. The sides of the mixing bowl are clean after kneading so I just drizzle some oil on the sides and put the dough back in. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes. Divide into two balls, or more if you want small breads, and flatten them in individual oiled cake pans or cast iron skillets and let them rise for another 45 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 425°F. If you like, brush the tops with milk, olive oil, butter, or egg and sprinkle with your favorite seasoning after the second rise. We like everything bagel seasoning. Bake at 425°F for about 20 minutes in the pans or on a pizza stone or baking steel. Alternatively, I like to cook them in a cast iron dutch oven outside while I’m grilling. This only takes about 10 minutes.
These are great eaten plain and warm from the oven but you can also embellish them after they have been baked. I top them with pizza toppings or grilled veggies and cheese and pop them back in the oven until melted. Cooks are constantly striving for ‘authenticity’ when cooking foods from other cultures. These flatbreads are authentic American fare. They are delicious, economical, and quick which were the top priorities of home cooks.
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