Gluten-Free Flatbreads

The flatbreads we’ve been making are extremely easy to do and the recipe is very forgiving. We take about 3 to 3-1/2 cups of gluten-free flour*, 1/2 cup of flax seed meal, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon baking powder (optional) and then add enough water to make a stiff but workable dough. Usually, this is just about 1 cup. We shape the dough in our hands into little 4 inch wide and less than 1/2″ thick cakes. This is done by rotating them between our hands and using the pressure between fingers and thumbs to smooth out the thickness. Then we fry them in a cast iron skillet over medium heat with a smidge of oil (grapeseed, olive or red palm). They usually cook for about 3 to 5 minutes on the first side, until browned, and then only for about 30 seconds on the other side.

*We have been using amaranth, millet and buckwheat flours. But we can also use quinoa, sweet brown rice, brown rice, teff or sorghum flour.

Yesterday, Haniya and Noami made our flatbreads from start to finish. Haniya ground the flour in the Vitamix. These softer grains require about 30 seconds of grinding on HIGH to become fine flour.

I not only took this picture to record the cooking experience, but I thought Haniya looked gorgeous. My mom gave her that beautiful skirt… at least I think it was my mom. Was it you, Mom? (Oops! No, it was Jeff’s mom!)
The t-shirt is one of the ones I made her last week. And her hair!

She and Naomi shaped the little breads and pan fried them. Mikah took the following picture. It is really an action shot.

In July, the kids will be making their (now) traditional summer trek to California to spend 2 weeks at their Gramma, Grampa and Auntie’s house. I am training the girls to make their own gluten-free bread so they will be able to do it while they are there. We will grind all the flours before they leave and put all the dry ingredients together in batches which they can take with them. All they will have to add is water and a little oil and then cook them on the stove.

These flatbreads can be used for all sorts of sandwiches. They are best toasted and then topped. We have eaten them with hamburgers, wild salmon salad, chicken salad, pinto bean spread and veggies. Usually, I will toast and top them, sprinkle shredded goat cheese on top, and then put the open-faced sandwich round back under the broiler or the broiler in the toaster oven to melt and crisp the cheese. Then I might top that with sliced avocado or other veggies that aren’t that good warmed up (like tomatoes or cucumbers).

© Copyright 2007 by Wardeh Harmon.