flatbread

The tradition & historical record

A flatbread is bread typically made with flour, water, and salt, with or without leavening, which are mixed and rolled into flattened dough. They are usually baked quickly at high temperatures and range from below one millimeter to a few centimeters in thickness. Flatbreads are distinguished from other flour-based foods such as loaf breads, which have lower proportions of crust relative to crumb; pancakes, which use liquid batter rather than firm dough; and crackers, which are dry and crisp. Flatbreads are the oldest and most common type of bread, and are often staple foods. Many types of flatbread are eaten globally. Flatbreads may use flour from cereal grains, commonly wheat, as well as pseudocereals, pulses, or tubers. Fat may be used as shortening, while other ingredients may provide nutrition or flavor. Depending on water content, the mixture is either a dough or a batter; the latter results in a pancake-like bread. The dough is rested, during which it may undergo fermentation. Fermentation is driven by a leavening agent, most commonly sourdough. Fillings or toppings are sometimes added. Flatbreads are commonly baked against a griddle or the walls of a vertical oven (such as a tandoor). Other methods include being baked in domed ovens, covered in embers, or fried in oil. Some flatbreads puff up as steam forms while baking, while others are pressed or stamped to avoid this. ¹

Flatbreads are a very diverse category of breads characterized by being flat. They are distinguished from loaf breads as flatbreads have higher density and a higher proportion of crust relative to crumb. Some, such as tortillas, essentially have no crumb. Pancakes may be considered a type of flatbread or a distinct category. Flatbreads and pancakes use the same ingredients of flour and water, which are turned into a fluid batter for pancakes or a firm dough for flatbreads. Crackers are similar to flatbreads but with less water, making them crisp. Although they are related to several types of flatbreads, crackers are considered a separate category. ¹

There are many types of flatbreads, which vary based on ingredients, baking methods, size, shape, and moisture. Some are paper-thin and translucent, while others are a few centimeters thick, bordering on loaf breads and able to be sliced. They may weigh between 20 grams and 1 kilogram, with a diameter between 5 and 70 centimeters. Most are round, but some are triangular or rectangular. In appearance, they are light with dark spots. Some types have fillings or toppings, such as pizza. According to food scientist Jalal Qarooni, flatbreads are possibly the most diverse and most popular type of food product. Though some qualities of flatbreads are variable or subjective, pliability is important for almost all types so that they can be rolled or folded around food. Flatbreads lose this texture if they become stale, to a much greater extent than loaf breads, so they are eaten fresh. Most flatbreads have a very low shelf life as they only have a few basic ingredients, becoming stale after a few hours at room temperature. In flatbreads, like other breads, staling is accompanied by moisture loss, starch retrogradation, and hardening. ¹

The basic ingredients of flatbreads, like other baked goods, are flour, water, and salt, with optional ingredients including fat and yeast. Water is necessary to form a homogenous dough. Flatbreads usually have less water than loaf breads, but the amount varies. A soft, light flatbread can be made with 50% water (relative to flour), while some types contain 60–75%. This proportion is subjective and may vary based on the flour's ability to absorb it. If the flour contains gluten, water helps its development. Salt is necessary for a good-quality product as it strengthens flour and improves texture. The salt content is typically 0.5–3% of the flour, though salt is sometimes excluded from varieties like chapati or maize tortillas. Fat or oil is used as shortening. It increases shelf life, eases dough handling, and makes the bread softer. Examples of shortening include lard in wheat tortillas and butter in naan. ¹

Flatbreads can use flour from various cereal grains, pseudocereals, or pulses. This differs from loaf breads, which are generally made only of wheat flour, because flatbreads do not require gluten. Gluten is necessary for viscoelastic doughs, so these are usually made of wheat, but thin batters can use gluten-free flours. Flour is sometimes prepared the same day it is baked; this is common among rural residents of North India including Rajasthan. Wheat flatbreads are the predominant type in many regions. They mostly use soft wheat varieties, but others such as durum are used depending on regional availability. Other cereal grains used for flatbreads include maize flour and rice flour. Minor cereals such as barley, millets, sorghum, oats, and rye are used in various regions. Most flatbreads, such as chapati, use whole grains, while others use refined grains. Some are multigrain. Pseudocereals used for flatbreads include teff. Flatbreads can also be made of pulses such as chickpeas, field peas, or fava beans, each with very different flavors. Pulse flatbreads were historically common when grains were expensive. Pulse flours may be mixed with rice or maize flour. Tubers such as potatoes are also used. Qualities of wheat flatbreads are influenced by flour processing, milling (which affects flour extraction and damaged starch content), and properties of the wheat itself. Flour germ and bran make dough less elastic, which strongly influences rolling and, in turn, the final product. Thus, wheat flatbreads usually use high-extraction flour (75–90% extraction), which has higher germ and bran content. Low-extraction flour is used for varieties that contain shortening, which achieves a similar role. ¹

Additional ingredients are used for flavor, nutrition, or other properties. Sweet flatbreads use sugar or honey for flavor. Salty flatbreads use salt for flavor, though a little sugar may be used for yeast growth. In addition, sweet flatbreads sometimes use fruits, while salty flatbreads sometimes use vegetables or spices. Seeds can be placed on the surface of dough, such as sesame seeds on shaobing. Flatbread ingredients include both plant and animal products. Animal products such as milk, butter, yogurt, whey, or eggs are used for nutrition and texture. Their high protein content contributes to dough stability. Whey is a common source of protein fortification, especially in gluten-free flatbreads. Eggs increase protein and micronutrients and also act as a leavening agent. Aside from flour, plant-based products include extracted starch, protein, and fiber. Plant starches are added for texture and appearance, especially in gluten-free flatbreads. Plant proteins, mostly gluten, improve texture when the flour used is not optimal. Fibers also improve texture as they increase water absorption. ¹

Flatbreads, like other breads, are made by mixing ingredient… ¹

The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Flatbread”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. ¹

flatbread is type of bread, according to the structured record cited below. This entry was generated automatically from that record and has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. ²

The source record links this tradition to 18 external registers, which can be verified through the citation. ²