GRILLED LEBANESE FLATBREAD

By BobD

Ingredients

• YIELD 8 BREADS
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• Extra virgin olive oil as needed
• 2 tablespoons za’atar, optional.

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 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.

Meanwhile, prepare a grill; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire.

When the dough has puffed up, transfer it to a well-floured surface and knead until soft and silky, 5 to 8 minutes.

Cut the dough into 8 equally sized pieces and roll each one out until it’s about 6 inches in diameter; don’t worry about making these 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 side facing you 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 sprinkle with the za’atar, if you’d like.

Serve immediately.

Za'atar is a spice blend that is so versatile! It can be used on meats, veggies, rice, and breads.

1/4 cup sumac
2 tablespoons thyme
1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons marjoram
2 tablespoons oregano
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Preparation:

Grind the sesame seeds in food processor or with mortar and pestle. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Store za'atar in a cool, dark place in a plastic zip bag or in an airtight container.

When stored properly, za'atar can be used from 3-6 months.