Griddle Flat Bread

Griddle flat bread is the kind of pantry-staple bread that saves dinner when you forgot to grab a loaf. No yeast, no rising, no waiting around. You mix flour, shortening, salt, baking powder, a pinch of soda and ice-cold water into a shaggy dough, divide it, roll each piece thin to about an 8-inch round, and slap it onto a hot oiled griddle. Pricking the top with a fork keeps the surface from puffing into one giant blister, so you get even browning and that mottled, golden crust that crackles when you tear it.

The ice-cold water matters. It keeps the shortening firm as it works through the flour, so the bread bakes up with little pockets of tenderness instead of turning leathery. These cook fast, so stay parked at the stove with your spatula ready.

Serve warm with sautéed escarole, bitter greens, or a brothy bean stew. The bread soaks up every drop.

Pro Tips

• Use ice-cold water and don’t overwork the dough, or the flatbreads turn tough
• Get the griddle ripping hot before the first round goes down, otherwise you’ll steam the bread instead of searing it
• Watch the second side closely, it browns in under a minute
• Stack finished flatbreads under a clean tea towel to keep them pliable

Variations

• Stir a teaspoon of cumin or za’atar into the dry mix for a Middle Eastern lean
• Swap half the flour for whole wheat for a nuttier, heartier round
• Brush the hot bread with melted butter and crushed garlic for a quick savory finish