Sourdough Flatbread Recipe: How to Make Sourdough Flatbread

Sourdough flatbread is a thin bread made with sourdough discard to add a flavorful note and some additional structural integrity. You can flavor the flatbread itself in myriad ways or use it as a vehicle for a slew of different toppings.

“Sourdough” is another term for naturally leavened bread and baked goods. Harnessing its flavor is as simple as mixing equal parts flour and water and leaving the mixture in a warm location. (Third-generation French baker Apollonia Poilâne’s sourdough starter recipe explains how to make one from scratch.)

You can certainly use sourdough discard to make flatbread. Flatbreads are customizable, and there are many variations, including naan bread, lavash, pita, sangkak, roti, barbari bread, and more. To keep the wild yeast in a sourdough starter alive, you have to feed it regularly, which involves discarding a portion of the starter—called the sourdough discard—each time. Instead of throwing the discard away, incorporate it into a flatbread dough to add some heft and flavor that wouldn’t come across from common leavening agents such as baking powder or soda.

Flatbreads make for an ideal sourdough discard recipe since the dough barely rises; most sourdough breads, like Apollonia Poîlane’s rye bread, require an active starter full of bubbling, freshly fed yeast to get the desired rise. The yeast in unfed discard, on the other hand, is relatively inert, having run out of fresh flour to consume.

There is no limit to the uses of sourdough flatbread. Here are some ideas:

• Enjoy it for breakfast. Sourdough flatbread is a fantastic vehicle for jams, jellies, preserves, and marmalades. It’s also a great companion for a refreshing fruit salad tossed in lots of mint and fresh citrus juice.
• Make a flatbread pizza. Let your imagination run wild with flatbread pizza toppings. Try pairing goat cheese with sun-dried tomatoes; caramelized onions and crème fraîche; pesto and ricotta; or charred scallions topped with fresh burrata cheese. Alternatively, make a dessert flatbread pizza with roasted cherries and whipped cream or chocolate hazelnut spread and powdered sugar.
• Serve it with dips. Sourdough flatbread pairs well with a slew of dips, from baba ghanoush and hummus to tzatziki and toum. Learn how to make hummus with Chef Yotam Ottolenghi.
• Treat it like Carta di Musica. The Sardinian flatbread known as Carta di Musica is usually cracker-thin, but this sourdough flatbread lends itself well to similar preparations. Slather with melted butter or flaky sea salt, or opt for high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and a smattering of fresh herbs.
• Use it like an arepa or tostada. Top your sourdough flatbread with refried beans, cheddar cheese, or queso fresco, and then garnish with radishes, cilantro, and a healthy squeeze of lime. The flatbread is substantial enough to stand up to lots of toppings.

Sourdough flatbreads are simple and versatile. Here’s what to keep in mind during the cooking process:

1. 1. Shaping: Feel free to form your flatbread into different shapes or sizes depending on what you’re planning to do with them—a flat sandwich bread will look different from a flatbread destined to become a pizza. Sourdough flatbread can be a great appetizer for a crowd or a terrific main course for a more intimate gathering. Make larger breads to share or smaller portions for individuals.
2. 2. Cooking styles: Many flatbread recipes call for a cast-iron pan or griddle, but you can also cook your flatbread on a pizza stone in a 500-degree oven, or even on a grill. The different cooking methods can impart unique flavors into the dough.
3. 3. Flavoring the dough: Take your flatbread in different directions by adding herbs, seeds, nuts, and spices to the dough itself. Try adding fennel fronds, sunflower seeds, pecans, parsley, dill, tarragon, coriander, sumac, chili powder, cumin, or chives.
4. 4. Storage: Store the flatbread in an airtight container and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days. Conversely, wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.