I absolutely love making breads of all types, sweet and savoury. I love working with dough, creating shapes, experimenting, and marvelling at every baked loaf, still steaming from the oven. Baking truly is my passion.
Quite a long time ago, I challenged myself to learn about sourdough starters, their use in breads, the texture they provide, and all the benefits they have, of course. And to my surprise, I discovered that it is not that difficult to start and maintain a starter. Of course, starters do require a bit of finesse, but once they start to grow and thrive, their uses are endless.
I am a great believer in sustainability and against food waste, so it is only natural that I've found more than one ways to use up the sourdough discard. Other than in bread loaves, it is a fantastic addition to flatbreads, muffins, and even chocolate cakes.
These little flatbreads are one of the simplest ones to make, although they do require a bit of time and patience to rise. But they do reward with an amazing flavour.
I like making them in the evenings and baking them first thing in the morning, for a wonderful breakfast, with a generous spread of vegan butter and flaky salt. Honestly, with a cup of tea, one of the best ways to start the day.
Ingredients
300 grams plain flour
125 grams sourdough starter discard
100 grams vegan yoghurt
100 millilitres warm water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
30 grams vegan block butter, for brushing
Preparation
Sift the flour twice onto a large piece of baking parchment and set it aside. Take a large bowl and add in the sourdough discard, vegan yoghurt, water, oil, sugar, and salt, and mix them well together. Add in the sifted flour and start mixing the dough with a wooden spoon until it starts to come together.
Once combined, use your hands to knead the dough into a uniform ball, adding a tablespoon or two of water more, if needed. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Cover the bowl with cling film and a kitchen towel, and let the dough rest and rise, at room temperature, until doubled. This is best done overnight.
Once nicely risen, turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knead it very briefly, and divide it, by weight, into 16 equal pieces. Shape each of them into a small ball, cover them with a kitchen towel, and let them rest for about 30 minutes.
Roll each dough ball into a small thick circle, roughly 10 centimetres in diameter and cook them in batches, over medium high heat, around 2 minutes per side. Depending on your stove and pan, it might take a bit longer to cook through, so do monitor.
As soon as one flatbread is done, brush it lightly with vegan butter and place it onto a tray. Stack the rest on top, keeping them covered with a kitchen towel until all are done cooking. Serve immediately. Yields 16 small flatbreads.
