Skillet Flatbreads with Water and Flour

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather the ingredients on the list. Sift the wheat flour into a deep bowl. Do this even for flatbreads — first, to keep any bits of debris out of the dough, and second, to aerate the flour so the flatbreads come out softer.

2. Step 2:

   

   Add the salt to the flour and pour in the vegetable oil and water. Start mixing with a spoon right in the bowl.

3. Step 3:

   

   Then turn the sticky mass out onto a floured work surface and keep kneading by hand. The dough should turn smooth and elastic. Put it back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rest for 15 minutes. While it rests, you can prep some herbs for a filling if you like — I made plain flatbreads without one.

4. Step 4:

   

   Divide the rested dough into pieces, depending on how many flatbreads you want and how big. Roll each piece out on a floured surface into a thin round.

5. Step 5:

   

   For neater, rounder flatbreads, you can trim them by cutting around a plate.

6. Step 6:

   

   You can cook the flatbreads in a dry skillet or in vegetable oil, depending on what you prefer. Dry, they come out crisper — brush them with butter while hot for extra softness and aroma; in oil, they turn soft and golden.

7. Step 7:

   

   Pour vegetable oil into a skillet and fry the flatbreads in the hot oil over medium heat, about 2 minutes per side, until golden. If a flatbread starts to balloon up, prick it a few times with a fork.

8. Step 8:

   

   Lift the flatbreads onto a paper towel to blot off excess oil. Transfer them to a serving plate and bring them to the table with sour cream, fresh vegetables, and herbs, or as a bread substitute alongside a soup or main dish. Enjoy!