Flatbread. The word is what it sounds like, isn’t it? Essentially, flatbreads are, well, flattened pieces of bread. And as we all know, bread is pretty fantastic by itself. In fact, it’s one of my favorite things. But when you add toppings to that flatbread, that’s when things start to get interesting—and delicious.
Flatbread itself is unleavened bread that’s made with flour, water and salt and then rolled out (flattened) into dough. Some flatbreads contain yeast, but traditional flatbread does not; however, the combination of spices and oils that can be added to the dough are endless—think olive oil, sesame oil, curry powder or chili powder. And flatbreads, technically speaking, run the gamut of breads—things like tortillas, pita and even crepes can be grouped into the flatbread family.
After the flatbread is seasoned to your liking and baked until it’s crispy (which is my preference), that’s when the fun begins. You can make your flatbread into a cousin of the classic pizza—with tomato sauce and cheese—or you can pile it high with vegetables, protein, whatever is appealing to you at the time.
It’s true that restaurants that specialize in flatbreads may be struggling right now—the Urban Flats chain, for example, was not long for this world—restaurants that serve flatbreads on their menus have seen an uptick in orders. The reason? Flatbreads are a lighter, but equally great and filling, alternative to heavier menu items, such as pasta with cream sauce or meat dishes. Plus, they tap into the trend of small plate dining—they’re easily shareable and they can easily be their own small meal or part of a bigger one. Flatbreads truly are one of the most versatile dishes on modern menus, and I couldn’t be happier about this trend.
Lately, when I don’t have time to make my own flatbread, I’ve been heading to Outback Steakhouse for its chicken artichoke flatbread, which is made up of grilled chicken, chopped spinach and artichokes, fresh-grated Parmesan cheese and a little drizzle of olive oil atop a crispy flatbread. It’s delicious and easy and the perfect meal.
What’s your favorite flatbread variety?