Easy Moldovan Flatbreads Recipes

MOLDOVAN LAZY FLATBREADS WITH KEFIR-YOGURT DIP

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine kefir, vinegar, sugar, salt and 1 teaspoon oil. Add the feta, scallions and dill, and mix well with a fork.
• Sift in the flour and baking soda, and mix in with a fork. The dough should be soft yet dense, and a bit sticky.
• Generously dust a work surface with flour and knead dough until it is homogeneous and holds together, about 1 minute. Divide dough into 6 pieces and roll into balls. Roll out each ball into a circle 6 inches in diameter.
• In a large frying pan over a medium-low flame, heat up enough oil to cover the bottom. Fry breads one at a time, for three minutes per side, adding more oil if needed. Transfer breads to a paper-towel lined platter to drain excess fat before serving. Serve warm with yogurt dip (recipe below).
• Leftover flatbreads can be kept wrapped in plastic wrap in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat flatbreads in a skillet.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Serve with warm flatbreads. Sauce will keep in the fridge up to 4 days.

PLACHINDA

Steps:

• Place the kefir, sunflower oil, vinegar, sugar and salt in a large bowl and mix together well with a fork.
• Sift the flour with the baking soda, then sift again into the kefir mixture and mix in. The dough should be soft and pillowy. If it's still slightly sticky, heavily flour your work surface and start kneading the dough, incorporating more flour into it. The dough should stop sticking to your hands when it's ready but also remain soft.
• Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Flour the work surface really well and roll out each piece of dough, one by one, into a 20 cm (8 inch) diameter circle.
• For the filling, mix the feta, sorrel or spinach, spring onions and dill together, making sure that the feta is finely crumbled.
• Moisten the surface of one dough circle with 1 scant tablespoon of the sunflower oil and sprinkle one-quarter of the filling over the whole surface.
• Next, take one edge of the circle and fold it into the middle. Now bring the edge of the first fold into the middle and fold again. Repeat until you have created about 7 folds (fewer won't seal the filling in properly). The dough should resemble a flattened moneybag.
• Make sure all the edges are firmly pinched together in the middle of the flatbread, flour the top lightly and gently flatten the moneybag with your rolling pin.
• Repeat with the remaining dough circles and filling.
• Heat the ¼ cup sunflower oil in a frying pan until hot and gently lower in each flatbread, one at a time. The first one will take about 3 minutes on each side, but as the oil heats up, the next ones will take about 2-2½ minutes on each side. You can alternatively brush them with oil and cook them under your broiler. The result will be somewhat different but still delicious.

FLATBREADS

Steps:

• Sift the flours and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl. Add 1 tbsp of the oil and 150ml warm water. Bring together into a soft but not too sticky dough (you may need up to 175ml water). If it feels too wet, add some flour. If it's too dry, add water.
• Tip onto a floured surface and knead for 4-5 mins, or until smooth. Put the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave for 30 mins.
• Tip onto a floured surface. Divide into six balls and roll each out into a thin, 18-20cm wide circle using a rolling pin. If you prefer, you can divide again into twelve balls to make smaller flatbreads.
• Brush a heavy-based pan with oil and cook one flatbread over a high heat for 1-2 mins on each side, or until golden and starting to puff. Put on a plate and brush with butter. Repeat with the rest of the dough.

QUICK & PUFFY FLATBREADS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, baking powder, yogurt and oil with 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp water, and bring together into a rough dough. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes until slightly smooth, then divide into four to eight pieces, depending on the size of flatbread you want.
• Heat a heavy-based frying pan over a high heat. To make basic flatbreads, roll the dough pieces out on a lightly floured surface into rough ovals, then fry for 1-2 mins on each side until golden and slightly charred in spots. Alternatively, roll the dough pieces out, brush with a little melted ghee or butter, and scatter over the cumin seeds, garlic, coriander or chillies, if you like. Fold each piece of dough over on itself, then roll out again into a rough oval and cook in the same way.
• Brush the flatbreads with a little melted butter or ghee, then serve.