Grilled Flatbread

I just can’t resist posting one last grill recipe for the final days of an all-too-fleeting summer. I’ve been intrigued by grilled flatbreads for some time, but always wrote them off as overly-complicated or labor-intensive. Mark Bittman, in his straightforward and light-hearted manner, convinced me to give it a go. He’s one of my favorite food writers, and this dish, like most of his recipes, is simple and delicious. I served these with a delightfully fresh tomato bruschetta, and I’m looking forward to experimenting with various toppings in the future. This recipe also got me curious to try making pizza on the grill, which I’ve seen done but never experimented myself. Alas, I’ll have to wait through some long winter months until it’s grilling season again!

Grilled Flatbread

Adapted from this Mark Bittman recipe

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 3 cups (420 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp fresh, diced herbs (rosemary, thyme, etc)
• Extra virgin olive oil as needed

1. Whisk together the salt, sugar, yeast and 1 cup warm water in a large bowl. Let the mixture sit until it begins to froth, about 5 minutes, then add the flour and mix until well combined. (If the dough is very dry, add more warm water a tablespoon at a time to moisten it.) Cover and let rise somewhere warm for about an hour.

2. Meanwhile, prepare a grill over medium-high heat. When the dough has puffed up, transfer it to a well-floured surface, add the diced herbs, and knead until soft and silky, 5 to 8 minutes.

3. Cut the dough into 10 equally sized pieces and roll each one out until it’s about 6 inches in diameter; they don’t need to be perfectly round, but try to keep them relatively even in thickness. Brush one side of the breads with olive oil and put as many on the grill, oiled side down, as will comfortably fit at one time. While the first side cooks, brush the other side with more oil; when the breads begin to brown and puff up, flip them. When the second side is nicely browned, remove from the grill and serve immediately.