Step 1

Measure out all your ingredients into the bowl of your Thermomix or stand mixer. You don't have to pre mix, you can just add them all in on top of one another. This dough is extremely forgiving.Gently combine all the ingredients so it forms a shaggy dough. Let the dough sit for around 30 minutes.

Step 2

Using the knead function on your stand mixer, combine all the ingredients and knead for around 4-5 minutes (use the dough hook on your stand mixer).Thermomix - Dough function for 4 minutes.Check the texture of your dough. It should be smooth and silky and coming away from the sides of the bowl (see recipe notes below)

Step 3

Turn the dough out into a large ceramic or glass bowl. Cover with cling wrap or a damp tea towel and leave to rise until it has doubled. This may take several hours, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. Watch the dough and it will show you when it's ready, rather than going by a set amount of time. Using 200g of sourdough starter means the process will happen faster than if you used less (see notes)

Step 4

Once the dough has doubled, separate the dough into smaller balls so they are ready to be rolled out. I find around 50g to be the perfect size. The easiest way to do this is to flip the dough onto your counter, making sure the sticky side is facing up. Use a metal dough scraper to gently cut chunks of the dough away. Gently form into a loose ball. Leave the balls on your counter top, covered with a tea towel, for around 30 minutes to allow the gluten to relax. (see notes)

Step 5

Once the dough has relaxed you can roll them into the shape you would like. If you're making naan or even thicker flat breads, you can just use your fingers to press the dough out. If you want tortillas that are perfectly round, use a tortilla press. I find that a rolling pin is handy if you want nice thin flatbreads. It's really up to you. Have some semolina or cornmeal handy to use if you're using a rolling pin so the dough doesn't become sticky. The olive oil in the dough will make it quite elastic though.

Step 6

When you're ready to cook, heat a frying pan, skillet or bbq plate until it's HOT! These flat breads need a hot, fast cook. Add a few drops of olive oil to your cooking surface and carefully drop the flat bread onto it (if you find the dough has "shrunk" a little from when you shaped it, just gently use your hands to stretch it a little before you drop it in the pan). They will only need around 1 minute each side. They will bubble up and brown very quickly. Once it bubbles, flip to the other side to brown and then remove.

Step 7

If you aren't eating them straight away, keep the flatbreads stacked and wrapped in a tea towel to ensure they stay nice and soft and pliable.