Chapatti, tacos, pitta, tortilla. Warm doughy envelopes in which to wrap up our food. They keep our hands clean, but not so clean as to deprive us of that essential trickle of sauce, that spot of deliciousness, to lick from our fingers.
The world is full of warm flatbreads, to be spread with good things and rolled or folded. From the Mexican corn tortilla to the millet, barley and rye of the Swedish tunnbröd, the Norwegian barley flatbrød, or the round Levantine kebz, thin, flat doughs have been used for centuries to wipe our plates and swaddle our food. Originally baked in the embers of a dying fire, flatbreads can be baked in the oven, cooked in a pan or griddle, or browned against the walls of a tandoori oven.
Lovingly patted out by hand (chapat, incidentally, is hindi for slap, one of those delightfully onomatopoeic words that repeats the sound of the soft flat dough going back and forth between the palms of your hands) or simply bought from the shop, flatbreads are nothing without a little heat. Think of how much more delicious a thin potato farl or an oval pitta is when warmed on a griddle. I heat mine in a nonstick frying pan, turning them over carefully so they don’t tear.
You can stay traditional over which filling is appropriate for which bread, or you can open-mindedly follow my lead and just wrap your chosen filling up in any warm bread you can find and tuck in. Tortillas are generally the most accessible. The filling, at least in my book, needs to be a thoughtful balance of textures. Something soft and spreadable, creamed, spiced avocado perhaps, baked tomatoes and onions or a thick layer of olive paste; something crisp in the way of salad, a nip of chilli, and lots of padding in the form of sprouted seeds, young leaves or just slices of ripe tomato.
My vote also goes for a contrast of hot and cold, which is why this week I made spiced minced lamb to go with chunks of chilled watermelon and yogurt taken from plate to mouth in a toasted tortilla. Hot and cold, crisp and soft, spicy and cool, all wrapped up in a warm and floury wrapper.
Flatbreads with lamb, chilli and watermelon
Serves 2
For the onions:
white-wine vinegar 100ml
red onion 1, medium
For the lamb:
oil 2 tbsps
minced lamb 300g
garlic 2 cloves
red chillies 1 or 2, small
For the yogurt:
yogurt 8 tbsps
mint and parsley leaves 10g
To finish:
warm flatbreads 2, such as corn tortilla
watermelon 200g
tomatoes 2
radishes 4
sprouted seeds a handful
Peel and thinly slice the onion, then put it into a small saucepan with the vinegar and bring to the boil. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, watching carefully that the vinegar doesn’t evaporate. Remove from the heat.
Warm the oil in a wide, shallow pan over a moderate heat. When it is hot, add the minced lamb, in small pieces, leaving it to brown nicely before stirring it. Crush the garlic and add to the pan. Halve each chilli lengthways, removing the seeds and finely chopping the flesh before adding to the lamb. Let everything cook for 5 or 6 minutes until the meat is dark nutty brown and lightly crisp on the outside.
Blitz the yogurt in a food processor with the mint and parsley or chop the herbs finely and stir them into the yogurt. Transfer to a bowl and keep cold.
Warm the flatbreads on a large dry pan or griddle. Slice the tomatoes and the radishes. Peel the watermelon and cut into small, thick triangles. Spread half of the mint and parsley yogurt on each flatbread, then top with the sliced tomatoes, radishes, watermelon and then the hot garlicky lamb. Scatter the pickled onions and sprouted seeds over then roll up and eat.
Flatbreads with tomato and avocado
Makes 2
For the avocado cream:
avocado 1, ripe and perfect
red chilli 1, small
olive oil 2 tbsp
For the tomato sauce:
French beans 75g
tomatoes 200g
chilli, 1, hot, small, finely chopped
pomegranate molasses 2 tsps
coriander leaves a small handful
To finish:
tacos 2
tomatoes 2
micro salad leaves or sprouted seeds
Put a pan of water on to boil. Top and tail the beans then salt the water lightly and cook the beans for 3 or 4 minutes until tender. Drain and refresh under cold running water.
Put the tomatoes, chilli and pomegranate molasses in a food processor or blender and reduce to a thick dressing. Season with a little salt, then fold the beans into the dressing, add the coriander leaves, and set aside.
Halve, stone and peel the avocado, then crush to a smooth cream with a fork or in a food processor, mixing in the chilli and the olive oil as you go. (The creamiest result comes from using a food processor.)
Warm two tacos in a dry frying pan or on a griddle. When they are brown and puffed up remove them and spread each with some of the avocado cream. Slice the tomatoes thinly then lay them on the avocado, spoon over the tomato and bean dressing. Finish with a scattering of micro salad leaves or sprouted seeds, then fold in half and eat.
Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk
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