Wood oven flatbreads at home

Master Baker Jeffrey Hamelman has been teaching a class, Flatbreads of the World, for years in wood-fired ovens from coast to coast. In the Spring issue of Sift, we've adapted these wood oven flatbreads for your home kitchen. Come have a taste with us.

Wood oven flatbreads traditionally bake in mere minutes in blistering heat. We've adapted them for your home ovens. Relying on a sturdy pizza stone or baking steel and extra preheating, you can get the same stunning results in your kitchen. The doughs are uncomplicated, and once assembled, a quick bake on the very hot surface yields beautiful, richly caramelized results. Try each one, and travel through a world of ancient, soul-nourishing international flatbreads.

Socca

This thick chickpea crêpe, often found at street carts in the south of France, is usually served with the barest of garnishes. We've flecked it with fresh rosemary and given it a sprinkling of olives, as you might find at a stall on the Côte d'Azur.

Spinach-Filled Lebanese Flatbreads

This is a traditional wood oven flatbread that bakes in a very short time. It's a variation of a recipe from the excellent book Man'oushé by Barbara Abdeni Massaad. The dough is rolled into rounds, filled, and folded into triangle shapes before baking.

Anise-Chocolate Flatbread

While on a trip to Agramunt, Spain, Jeffrey saw a baker by the name of Lot Roca Enrich make a version of this bread at the bakery Harinera Roca. He recreated it for his international flatbreads class, and we are all the richer for it. Filled with chocolate and spritzed with anise liqueur, it's a stunning flavor combination. The sugar-topped crust is a satisfying, crunchy grace note. The full recipe can be found in the Spring 2017 issue of Sift magazine.

Tarte Flambé

In the Alsace region of France, this pizza-like bread was born as a means of testing the heat of the wood-fired oven. If the pie baked quickly and well, the oven was ready for the hearth breads waiting to be baked.

Spicy Tomato-Filled Flatbreads

This member of our international flatbreads collection is from Tunisia. You make a simple, unleavened dough, then roll it out and fill with a spicy tomato and pepper filling. You'll find it's a satisfying bread that pairs nicely with salad or soup.

A world of flavors is waiting for you in these recipes from Sift's Spring issue. We hope you'll take this tasty journey with us.