all you knead

Ancient flatbreads for modern times

Pita bread, tortillas and chapati may be relative newcomers to American supermarkets, but in their native lands they are almost as old as civilization itself.

When people first began harvesting grains, they were faced with the problem of how to turn them into food. One solution was to grind the grains into flour, mix it with water and bake. The flatter and thinner the bread, the more quickly and easily it could be cooked. Today these flatbreads are still enjoyed around the globe and are easier to make than you might think.

The trick is to take advantage of your food processor's speed to mix and knead the dough. In some cases, use quick-rising yeast that requires only a 20-minute rest before reshaping, instead of the usual 90 minutes. This dough is great for making small batches of flatbread, such as focaccia or Turkish pide.

A plus to making bread from scratch is that you can control exactly what goes into it. Making these flatbreads with whole grain flour adds vitamins, minerals, fiber and a delicious nutty taste. Cornmeal and semolina can also impart interesting texture and flavor.

This collection of breads comes from the Mediterranean basin, where breads are a central part of every meal. The flatbreads range from simple Middle Eastern pita to an exquisitely topped Catalan flatbread. Even the humblest meal becomes a feast when it is served with these wholesome, homemade breads.

Whole Wheat Pita Breads

8 SERVINGS EGG- & DAIRY-FREE

Supermarket pita breads just can't compare with the freshly baked homemade version.

1 tsp. sugar
1 (1/4-oz.) pkg. active dry yeast
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups unbleached
  all-purpose flour

1. In large bowl, mix 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water and sugar. Sprinkle in yeast and let stand until foamy, 10 minutes. With wooden spoon, gradually beat in whole wheat four. Beat about 2 minutes. Stir in oil and salt. Gradually beat in just enough all-purpose flour until dough is too stiff to stir.

2. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead, adding just enough flour to prevent sticking, until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes. (You can mix and knead dough in stand-up mixer fitted with paddle attachment, then dough hook.)

3. Place dough in lightly oiled large bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

4. Place baking stone (see "Baking Stones") or inverted baking sheet on bottom rack of oven to heat. Preheat oven to 500 [degrees] F. (Heat baking stone for 25 minutes before baking; heat baking sheet for 10 minutes.)

5. Punch dough down. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead a few times. Divide dough into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Cover with kitchen towel and let rest 20 minutes.

6. On lightly floured surface, use rolling pin to roll 2 pieces of dough into 7- to 7 1/2-inch circles, slightly less than 1/4-inch thick. (Keep remaining dough pieces covered while you are working.) Place dough circles on another baking sheet.

7. Working quickly, use wide metal spatula to transfer dough circles to heated baking stone. Bake pitas until puffed and lightly browned around the edges, 5 to 6 minutes.

8. Immediately wrap baked pitas in kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft. While the first batch of pitas bakes, roll out 2 more dough circles. Continue baking and rolling pitas until all dough is used.

PER PITA: 192 CAL.; 6G PROT.; 2G TOTAL FAT (0 SAT. FAT); 36G CARB.; 0 CHOL.; 535MG SOD.; 4G FIBER

Flaxseed Flatbreads

8 SERVINGS

Nutty flavored flaxseeds provide the nutritional benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, lignans (a type of phytoestrogen) and fiber. One of the easiest and most appealing ways to incorporate flaxseeds into your diet is to use them in yeast breads. Since flaxseeds must be ground to release their benefits, we use ground flaxseeds to replace part of the flour in the dough. A sprinkling of whole flaxseeds creates an appealing topping on this Turkish-style bread.

1/2 tsp. sugar
1 (1/4-oz.) pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup whole flaxseeds
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. low-fat plain yogurt
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups unbleached
  all-purpose flour
Semolina or cornmeal for dusting

Glaze and topping
  1 large egg
  4 tsp. whole flaxseeds

1. In large mixing bowl, mix 1 cup lukewarm water and sugar. Sprinkle in yeast and let stand until foamy, 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in spice grinder or blender, coarsely grind 1/4 cup flaxseeds.

3. With wooden spoon, gradually beat whole wheat flour into yeast mixture; beat about 2 minutes. Stir in ground flaxseeds, oil, yogurt and salt. Gradually beat in just enough all-purpose flour until dough is too stiff to stir.

4. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead, adding just enough flour to prevent sticking, until smooth and elastic, 5 to 10 minutes. (You can mix and knead dough in stand-up mixer fitted with paddle attachment, then dough hook.)