Wild Garlic Flatbreads Recipe
These Wild Garlic Flatbreads are beautifully soft and fluffy on the inside with a slight chew on the crust. They are packed full of wild garlic flavour and are lovingly slathered in a wild garlic butter once cooked. The flatbreads (very similar to naan) take just 60 minutes (ish) from start to finish which make them very quick to make in terms of bread. They are cooked on the pan so they are perfect for when you can’t be bothered to turn the oven on! I make my own Wild Garlic Butter to soften the breads and add a big more flavour.
What is wild garlic?
Wild garlic is a plant that grows in the wild usually. It has a mild garlic taste and can be eaten raw. The plant grows from a bulb and produces dark green leaves and sometimes white flowers. Wild garlic typically grows in clumps in shaded areas near water like forests. It grows in abundance in Ireland between April and June. For tips on how to forage safely and mindfully, check out this Wild Garlic Foraging article I wrote for the Anglo Celt.
So how do I make these Wild Garlic Flatbreads from scratch?
Dough
As far as bread goes, this recipe for Wild Garlic Flatbreads is pretty straightforward. To begin, add the flour, water, sugar milk, salt, oil and chopped wild garlic to a mixing bowl or a stand mixer bowl. Mix together for 4-5 minutes total to make a smooth, stretchy dough. You are looking for a smooth consistency where the dough is soft but easily peels away from the bowl when mixed. Check after 1 minute of mixing to see if it needs a little more water or flour to get the right consistency.
Cover the bowl with cling film or a clean tea towel and leave to rest for 30 minutes. Dust a clean work surface with a little flour and divide the dough evenly into 6 pieces, about 100 grams each. Roll each piece into a ball and leave while you heat the pan. Heat the frying pan or cast iron pan on a medium-high heat. When it starts to heat up, add a small splash of oil and swirl around to fully coat the pan. Take one ball of dough and using a dusting of flour if needed, roll it out into a long oval shaped piece. It should be a little shorter than the length of the pan you are using.
Cooking
Carefully peel the dough off the surface and place onto the preheated pan. Leave for 15-20 seconds and then carefully slide the dough a little around the pan. This helps to prevent it from sticking. Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, making sure to check the bottom to ensure it is not burning. You are looking for streaks or dots of golden brown and the dough should be rising in random bubbles on top. Flip the flatbread onto the other side once a good colour has been achieved on the bottom and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until you have spots of dark brown on the flatbreads.
Remove from the heat and spread one tablespoon of wild garlic butter over the flatbread. Continue the previous steps until all pieces of the dough have been cooked. Serve immediately or leftovers can be tightly wrapped or placed into an airtight container and stored at room temperature for 2 days. To refresh them, place into the microwave for 20 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use plain flour instead of strong flour however the dough may be a little more sticky so you may have to add more flour to get the right consistency. The finished flatbreads may not be quite as chewy either and may be a bit more cake like in texture.
In Ireland, strong flour can be tricky to find. Odlums produce strong flour but it is not stocked in every supermarket. If you are near an Evergreen, they sell Marriage’s Organic Strong Flour. I purchase my strong flour in my local Polish shop, they stock a brand called Lubella in many different varieties. You are looking for “TYP 550” when searching for strong flour. It’s great quality and a little cheaper than other brands. You can also buy small blocks of fresh yeast in most Polish shops!
This flatbread can be served like naan or pita bread. It’s fantastic served simply with dips like hummus, salsa, pesto, sour cream etc. It’s also delicious served with curry or stews to mop up the leftover juices. It can also be used like any bread and add cheese, meats or veggies. A favourite way of mine to serve it is with curry chickpeas, feta cheese, cucumber and pickled red onions.
Absolutely! Simply replace the milk with plant based milk (or water) and use a plant based butter for the wild garlic butter spread on top.
For more Bread Recipes, check out my Bread category, here.
Wild Garlic Flatbreads
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl or stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- 1 dough scraper or sharp knife
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 frying pan or cast iron pan
- 1 cooking tongs or fork
- 1 Spoon
Ingredients
- 350 grams strong flour
- 130 grams water lukewarm
- 15 grams caster sugar
- 30 grams milk
- 2 1/2 grams salt or 1/2 tsp
- 15 grams unflavoured oil
- 15 grams wild garlic washed and chopped finely
- 5 grams fresh yeast or 1/2 tsp dried yeast
- 100 grams wild garlic butter
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl, add the flour, water, sugar, salt, oil, chopped wild garlic and fresh yeast.
- Mix together on a low speed or by hand until a dough starts to form. Increase the speed to medium or continue kneading by hand for 3-4 minutes until the dough becomes really smooth and stretchy.
- Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or cling film and leave for 30 minutes to rise slightly.
- Dust a clean work surface with a little flour and divide the dough evenly into 6 pieces, around 100 grams each. Form each piece into a little ball and leave to one side while you heat the pan.
- Heat the frying pan or cast iron pan on a medium-high heat. When it starts to heat up, add a small splash of oil and swirl around to fully coat the pan.
- Take one ball of dough and using a dusting of flour if needed, roll it out into a long oval shaped piece. It should be a little shorter than the length of the pan you are using.
- Carefully peel the dough off the surface and place onto the preheated pan. Leave for 15-20 seconds and then carefully slide the dough a little around the pan. This helps to prevent it from sticking.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes on one side, making sure to check the bottom to ensure it is not burning. You are looking for streaks or dots of golden brown and the dough should be rising in random bubbles on top.
- Flip the flatbread onto the other side once a good colour has been achieved on the bottom and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until you have spots of dark brown on the flatbreads.
- Remove from the heat and spread one tablespoon of wild garlic butter over the flatbread.
- Continue the previous steps until all pieces of the dough have been cooked.
- Serve immediately or leftovers can be tightly wrapped or placed into an airtight container and stored at room temperature for 2 days. To refresh them, place into the microwave for 20 seconds.
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