Wherever you travel in the world, someone is making flatbread. That's because flatbread is a quick, simple way to turn flour into non-fussy bread.
The earliest known flatbread has , using wild wheat and barley in around 8500 BC. The bread would most likely have been made from a simple paste of ground cereal mixed with water, cooked over the coals. Many flatbreads are still made using this simple technique, while others now include the addition of yeast or salt. What makes a flatbread unique to a culture comes down to ingredients, kneading technique, leavening (or not), shaping and the way the bread is cooked. This means there are many, many ways to flatbread - but all of them are easy to master.
If you've yet to make your own flatbread then you're flat-out missing out.
Spinning the bread dough in the air produces a translucent film that is folded to produce roti canai's signature soft-stretchy-crisp texture. Source: Adam and Poh's Malaysia in Australia
Piaya is sometimes filled with stewed ube - a sweet yam that is an impressive vibrant purple in colour. Source: Brett Stevens
Bing is the Mandarin Chinese term for cakes, dumplings, and other pastries – moon cakes are a well-known version. Source: Chris Chen
Naan bread is quintessentially Indian, but the country is also home to many other breads. Source: Murdoch Books / Sasha Gill
This recipe uses rye flour for a nutty twist on traditional wheat flour chapati. Source: Bloomsbury / Simon Wheeler
This wholemeal layered flatbread hails from India's north. Source: China Squirrel
Uttapam is traditionally made using a rice and lentil batter, but this recipe uses bread and semolina flour as a shortcut. Source: Alan Benson
Street vendors stretch, flip and throw thousands of veechu rotti every day. Source: Murdoch Books / © Kim Lightbody
Bulani can be sweet or savory, depending on the chosen filing. Many varieties can be picked up as a popular street food across Kabul. Source: Tammi Kwok
In Iran, taftan is often flavoured with saffron which gives it a glorious golden hue. Source: Alan Benson
Hawawshi is a popular Egyptian street food, particularly in Cairo and Alexandria (where it's known as baladi). Source: Nihal Abed
Porous, sponge-like injera is made from teff - the world's smallest grain and one of its oldest. Source: Murdoch Books / Ben Dearnley
Farata is the Mauritian version of Indian paratha. Source: Brett Stevens
are similar to Mexican tortillas, but they're made with yellow split peas instead of corn. The result is a tasty, economical bread that goes well wrapped around a curry and chutney combo. Manakish are often eaten for breakfast, which sounds like a very sensible thing to do. Source: May Rizk
Once you've got the hang of making pide, add fresh ingredients before baking to create your own gozleme. Source: Chris Chen
Roll out your pitta dough as thinly as you can for maximum magic puff. Source: Bloomsbury / Paul Hollywood's Bread
Golden, puffy pita with crispy edges, your family won't guess this pita is gluten free. Source: Jeremy Simons
Similar to focaccia (see below), is the slightly-less oily, crunchier version loved by Tuscans. This version by Silvia Colloca is gluten-free to boot.Tomato and rosemary plus olive and basil oils all combine to make certain you know this focaccia is Italian. Source: Petrina Tinslay
Serve socca hot from the oven, seasoned with pepper, alongside dips, cheese or olives. Source: Luke Nguyen's France
This bacon, crème fraîche, onion and nutmeg favourite comes from the Alsace region of Germany. Source: Danielle Abou Karam
Crème fraîche and honey give polarbröd its distinctive flavour (beware, it's addictive!). Source: Alan Benson
Clapping makes these Caribbean flatbreads lovely and light and flaky. Source: Ainsley's Caribbean Kitchen / Dan Jones
The perfect tortilla dough consistency is best likened to Play Doh - which tells you all you need to know about how much fun they are to make. Source: Pati's Mexican Table
The must rival naan bread for being the best known and most loved flatbreads in Australia. Perhaps Lebanese bread would join those ranks, too? Either way, focaccia is quite simple to make and if you add plenty of flavoursome toppings, it's a complete meal in a pan.
