CYPRIOT-INSPIRED OLIVE FLATBREAD

 

Here's a taste of summer. Savoury, with a salty tang from olives, sweetness from red onion and orange juice and fresh flavours from a generous amount of herbs, this flatbread is a twist on the Cypriot bread rolls I got a taste for at my local pop-up food market. Based on my go to flatbread recipe of the moment - featuring chickpea and rice flour - there’s no need to knead or wait for it to prove and it’s of course gluten-free. Delicious with just a sprinkle of sea salt and a good extra virgin olive oil, it’s the perfect partner for salads, soups, a mezze board or simply served with hummus or a creamy fresh cheese. You can totally improvise with this recipe as I have done countless times as long as you don’t make the batter too wet with your additions (dry your herbs after washing please!). Make sure you stick to the size baking tray mentioned below for the best bake since there is no gluten, eggs or dairy to help hold the structure of this bread and you don’t want a soggy bottom! This only takes 10mins to cook so bake it right before serving as its best enjoyed warm.

INGREDIENTS 

1 cup gram aka chickpea flour

1 cup rice flour

1 cup water

1/4 cup orange juice (approximately 1 orange)

3 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

150g pitted black olives*, halved

20 fresh mint leaves, finely chopped (or 1 tbs dried mint) 

25g/bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

¼ tsp sea salt**

Good grind of black pepper

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Optional: sesame seeds, flakey sea salt

METHOD

  1. In a large bowl, mix the gram flour, rice flour and water and set aside to rest overnight or, while you prep the rest of the ingredients. 

  2. Preheat the oven to 230°C Fan.

  3. Mix in the orange juice, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda until smooth.

  4. Stir in the olive oil, salt and black pepper before folding in the mint, coriander, onion and olives. 

  5. Line a 10 inch by 15 inch baking tray with parchment paper, making sure that the paper lines the edges to a height of at least a centimetre. I use a little water directly on the pan to help the paper stick down.

  6. Give the batter mixture a stir and pour it into the tray, gently tipping and tapping the tray to make sure the batter settles evenly. Use a spoon to push it right into the corners.

  7. Top with the sesame seeds and flakey sea salt if using. Drizzle again with olive oil and cook in the oven for 9 -10 mins until the edges are browned and the top is golden. Leave to rest for 10 mins before tucking in.


East by West tips - * Red olives are also great here for colour or go for green olives, remembering to chop any large olives a little smaller.

** The amount of salt you need to season this bread depends on the flavour of the olives so increase salt by an extra 1/4 tsp if the olives are not so salty.

If you don’t have any oranges then replace with water and add a tablespoon of maple syrup instead.

Swap parsley for coriander if you like and increase the mint if you love it or even leave it out.

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Jasmine Hemsley