I just really, really, wanted a pan-fried bread to have when we made lamb kebabs.   After several attempts, I discovered this version which hits the spot.  It's nice and quick to throw together, and using a wet, flat glass to flatten your bread means there's no rolling needed!  It's a fun alternative to naan bread or pita bread or dinner rolls.  Enjoy! 

Fresh fried flatbread, brushed with butter.

Served with a pumpkin curry (made by my friend Julie) and salad and kebabs (plated by my kids who have a tendency to scatter the plate with the vegetables).

Gluten-Free Pan-fried Flatbread

Makes ~10-12 flat breads

In a mixer combine: 

1 1/2 cup brown rice flour

3/4 cup tapioca starch

1/4 cup potato starch

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp salt

2 tsp rapid rise/quick yeast

Add and mix in, beating 3-4 minutes until nice and smooth: 

1 cup warm water

3/4 cup milk

2 Tbsp softened butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

Heat up at medium-high heat a pan like a cast iron or something good for high heat that things don't stick to, ideally.  This bread is cooked similarly to how you might cook a tortilla, without any oil or butter on the pan.  

In a separate bowl, melt: 

2-3 Tbsp butter

The amount of dough you scoop and how large your flat breads depends on your pan size, so you may have to play around a bit the first few flat breads.  I like to use a large cookie scoop to scoop dough onto the pan.  Use a glass with a flat bottom to dip it in water and quickly flatten your bread.  You may have to re-dip the glass 2-3 times until you have your bread flattened.  

Flattened several times with the bottom of a wet glass, repeatedly dipped in water.  So easy! 

Cook 2-3 minutes on the first side, flip, cook another 1-2 minutes and flip another once or twice until the bread is nicely baked through and has the lovely dark pan-fried color on it.  

Frying the bread - you want the nice dark spots in this bread.  Make sure to flip it a few times so the middle is nice and cooked.

Remove to a wire rack (for a crispier flat bread) or a plate and brush immediately with melted butter. I've put them on a wire rack and on a plate, and we enjoy it both ways.

Fresh from the pan and brushed with melted butter.

Repeat with the dough until you've cooked all your flatbread.  You can make your flat breads larger or smaller, depending on your preference.  Below, I made them in a smaller size to serve alongside a meal of lamb kebobs, vegetables and salad.  This time, I just layered them on a plate and brushed with butter after frying.   

Frying up a platter of fresh gluten-free flatbreads!

Fresh flat breads, brushed with butter

A tasty meal on a different day of fried GF flatbread with lamb, steamed vegetables and a salad on the side. 

Gluten-Free Pan-Fried Flatbread Recipe by Successfully Gluten Free!

These easy flatbreads are one of our favorites because they can be made plain or with a variety of cheesy additions.  A few of our favorites are listed in the recipe.  The plain flatbreads are a favorite with my kids to use as pizza crusts.  These are similar to my favorite naan bread, but these give you a fluffier end result.  Almost like something in between a naan bread and focaccia bread.  Once cooled, they freeze really well and can be easily heated up in a toaster oven or regular oven.  Enjoy!  

Yummy cheesy gluten-free flatbread filled with green onions and sharp cheddar cheese.

Fresh from the oven!  The extra cheese creates a bubbly texture.  Without the addition of cheese, these will look like nice, smooth flat breads.  

Delicious, Versatile Flatbread

Makes 6 oval flatbreads

Preheat oven to 400 F convection or 425 F regular.  Line 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

In a large mixer, combine dry ingredients:
3 cups Kristin's Gluten-Free Flour Mix
2 tsp xanthan gum
1 Tbsp rapid-rise yeast (quick yeast)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp baking powder

Add and let beat 3-5 minutes, until well combined and light and fluffy:
2 1/4 cup milk, warmed (not hot)
2 eggs

These flat breads can be made plain, or you can add in extras of your choice, mixing into batter until well combined:

Cheddar-green onion
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 - 2/3 cup green onions, sliced into small pieces

Italian-style
2 cups Italian Blend grated cheese OR 1 1/2 grated Mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan
1 tsp dried basil OR 1 - 2 Tbsp fresh basil, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano

Parmesan and sun-dried tomato
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup finely diced sun-dried tomato
1/2 tsp oregano (optional)

Scoop 2 blobs of dough onto each of the 3 pans.  Use wet hands to spread and flatten the dough, as desired.  You can keep wetting your hands so the dough doesn't stick to them.   Let the dough rise 10 - 20 minutes in a warm location. 

    

 

Divide and spread/flatten with wet hands.  You can add melted butter before or after rising.  Either works.  Two different varieties shown here.  They never quite look the same, but all end up delicous! 

Before baking, melt in a small bowl (for brushing tops of bread before baking):
3 Tbsp butter

Brush each flat bread with 1/2 Tbsp melted butter prior to baking.

 

Example from before and after rising.  In this case, I brushed the melted butter on at the beginning of the rise.  

Bake flatbreads for 15 - 20 minutes at 400 convection, rotating regularly and checking every few minutes after the first 5-7 minutes of baking.  (If baking your flat breads one at a time at 425 F, then leave the other pans in a slightly cooler place so that they rise slower.)

Remove baked flat breads from pans and parchment onto cooling racks.  Wonderful served immediately, but delicious cooled and served as desired.  We've used leftover flatbreads for quick pizza crusts, sliced and served with pasta, pull off pieces and served with soup or stew, or just eaten them plain as a snack.  Enjoy! 

Fresh from the oven - yum!  

Delicious, Versatile Flat Bread by Successfully Gluten Free!