Easy flat breads,bannock,lefse...

Hi. I love to bake. I've cooked professionally for many years (without formal culinary training.) I've learned a lot of good recipes and techniques throughout the years from my professionally trained comrades. I also enjoy the simple recipes of my family.

If you have simple bread recipes to contribute, please add them here for others to enjoy.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/norwegian-lefse/
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bannock/
http://www.manjulaskitchen.com/2007/05/22/naan-bread/

I like all of these easy recipes because you can do them over a fire in the woods (just need a cast iron fry pan)

Yes! I haven't checked out the links yet but I bookmarked it. I really want an easy flat bread recipe - and something that can be cooked over a fire would be perfect.

I had the pleasure to sit and assist with this method of flat bread. My freind came from Lebanon and her mother made the most incredible flat bread. It was just a simple ww flour , water , salt , yeast recipe. It was leavened and then stretched into round very thin circles , 1/8 inch or less. The cooking surface was a wok upside down over a small fire, or modified with a propane burner underneath. The bread was laid upon this hot surface and was thin enough to be cooked one side only. Fantastic. Even though my mother is Syrian , my Arabic is bad so I can't remember the name of this bread. As with most half breed third generation Americanized folks I can only cuss in Arabic and order food in a Palestinian restaurant with half decent pronounciation.

Hi gang.
The cookbook authors Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid have a cookbook called "Flatbreads & Flavors: A Baker's Atlas."
I really love their cookbooks because they have travelled all over the world (now with their kids) and they have learn the real foods that people cook. These are recipes coming from rural areas often and these 'country' kitchens don't have Cuisinarts and knife blocks with 15 different knives. Simply great!

What I like about flat bread recipes is that you don't necessarily need a rolling pin. Just pat out flat or pull or throw them. Yes, the old pizza throw.

Have a pizza stone? No. Try a cast iron pan or even a flat river rock.

My husband is part Native (First Nations) and he remembers his grandma making bannock in a fire. Nothing tastes as good as old grandma's bannock.

When my sister got married in Vancouver BC an East Indian neighbour found out and she cooked/baked up a storm. She couldn't believe that my sister planned a no food reception. Yum!

Explore, experiment and nothing is a failure. Try the recipe or method again and try it in a camping setting. People haven't always had kitchens and ovens, you know.

Back again - I looked it up on the web , in English. The Lebanese flat bread is called Manoosh. The inverted wok is called a Saj. It is most often served topped with olive oil and zatar- a mixture of thyme or marjoram , sumac, and sesame seeds.

Wayne, the Turkish make a version called Goreme. Amazing thing. Actually, all the bready things I had there were fantastic.

I am sure if we go back into our own heritages and that of others we find alot of wonderful cooking - of course. My mother and grandmother would go to town and purchase pita bread fresh - a dozen dozen at a time. We would eat this stuffed with greek style salad. It is one of those comfort food memories. Now I am able to enjoy meatless meals and not consider that a " diet" . It is just home to me. Meat two or three times a day is not sustainable but most Americans don't know how to make meatless. Bread is a good answer. Just to start more conversation - In Arizona I sampled Hopi Blue Corn Pika [?}- cooked on stone by fire .
Paper thin , poored onto the stone as thin batter - corn only I think. Delicious.

Triple D show with Guy Fieri had a restaurant that made their own tamales.

(I know, I know . That's not exactly a rarity in the Southern and SW USA but up here in Canada we just don't get Mexican cooks like that.)

If anyone can help out with How-Tos or Tips for Newbies, it would be appreciated.

I can share my almost world famous perogy recipe.

When I lived in the SW I had a catering business - my partner was Latino . We made vegetarian tamales and sold them all over . The dough is easy- it is called masa. Hominy cooked in limed water -it is a paste like dough - you can buy it fresh in groceries that cater to latino folks or dry as masa harina - available even at walmart . First the dough has to be a moldable consistency - you will form a pat and then fold this over a filling. You can use corn husks - the best - for a wrapping - or banana leaf , or parchment paper. The corn husks give it a much richer corn flavor . Fillings range from green corn and chilis , any meat chili - elk is excellent - to sweet fillings like minced apples and raisins with spice {Christmas Tamales } . They are easy and freeze well , not worth making unless you make alot at one time . They are steamed and it is good to add corn husks at bottom of pot . I am sure there are youtube videos . The key is in the consistency of the dough. Sauces and toppings are numerous . And I can attest that no matter how many you will ever make in your whole life will ever turn out like your neighbors Mexican Grandmothers. Gracias to Nana. Ok , now for that perogi recipe ? Then , I will give you some tamale filling ideas and toppings .

New life in this old thread with bannocks!

Those bannocks were really good! I made some with 'craisins' (cranberry raisins) & nuts,  and some with ham & cheddar. They're incredibly rich, both savory & sweet, so I'd highly recommend something like milk, coffee or hot tea, to wash them down. I tried water, and found it just didn't live up to the richness, and hot chocolate was just... TOO. I found they held me over for hours, but (especially the sweet ones) left my blood sugar utterly crashing, at about the 5hr mark, so particularly if you have blood sugar issues, it would be wise to eat again, around the 4hr mark, lol. I'm hypoglycemic, and tend to forget to eat.

I made some sourdough flatbread, day before yesterday, from an old recipe in my card file (!!!). I have no idea where I originally found it, because it was probably 30yrs ago. But, it was so easy, I'll be adding it to our regular (non-keto day) option lists. I'll probably be making some into crackers, this evening.

I'll just drop this here ...

SOURDOUGH TORTILLAS

1 cup sourdough starter
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup melted butter
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

mix it all up & let rest for 12-24 hours
take a glob of the dough & flatten it into any size tortilla you prefer
cook at fairly high heat on a cast iron comale or cast iron skillet