Basic No-Knead Flatbread Base Recipe

This recipe is based off the master recipe in the fantastic bread book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. That book is a great resource if you love bread. Plus, once you've cooked their master recipe a few times it only takes 10 minutes of active time to put together, not bad for fresh bread! I tend to use my standing mixer with the flat beater / paddle attachment to speed up the process but you can easily stir this by hand.

In this variation, I reduce the amount of yeast in half and add some olive oil, wheat flour, and molasses for base flavors. I use this for the majority of my flatbreads but I'll often add some garnish before I cook it to add more flavors depending on the specific flatbread I'm making. Things like minced garlic, raisins, figs, and herbs are all great when mixed into the batter at the last minute or sprinkled on top. I also love the crunch of smoked salt or the heat of cayenne pepper flakes.

Whipped goat cheese flatbreads

Modernist Tools, Ingredients, and Techniques Used

If you would like more information about the modernist techniques, ingredients, and equipment used in the basic no-knead flatbread base recipe you can check out the following.

Also, if you are just getting started experimenting with molecular gastronomy and modernist cuisine then I highly recommend one of these molecular gastronomy kits. They have everything you need to do many different dishes.

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Basic No-Knead Flatbread Base Recipe

  • Published: December 03, 2014
  • By Jason Logsdon
  • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
  • Total Time: 6 Hours
  • Makes: 3-4 large flatbreads

Basic No-Knead Flatbread Base Ingredients


For the Flatbread

700g water
10g granulated yeast
22g salt
20g sugar
40g olive oil
10g molasses
625g all-purpose flour
200g wheat flout

Basic No-Knead Flatbread Base Instructions

For the Flatbread

Pour lukewarm water, about 37°C (100°F), into a large mixing bowl. Lightly stir in the yeast and salt, they will not dissolve completely, which is fine. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Sometimes you will need additional flour or water to ensure the consistency is correct, it should be wet but still hold together very well.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for at least 2 hours, and up to 4 hours. At this point the dough can be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

Preheat the oven to 232°C (450°F). If you are adding garnishes to the dough, stir them in at this point.

When ready to bake, form the dough into sheets about 6mm-13mm (0.25"-0.5") thick, and as large as you need. A combination of stretching with your hands and using a rolling pin on a well-floured surface usually works well. If you are using specific shapes you can use pastry or cookie cutters to shape it.

Depending on the recipe and the toppings you can either bake the flatbreads without the toppings or add them and then bake the flatbreads.

Place them on a baking sheet then bake for 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of the flatbreads and the toppings. Remove the flatbreads from the oven when they are browned and any toppings are cooked. Add any additional toppings, cut the flatbreads if need, and serve.

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Jason logsdon headshot This article is by me, Jason Logsdon. I'm an adventurous home cook and professional blogger who loves to try new things, especially when it comes to cooking. I've explored everything from sous vide and whipping siphons to pressure cookers and blow torches; created foams, gels and spheres; made barrel aged cocktails and brewed beer. I have also written 10 cookbooks on modernist cooking and sous vide and I run the AmazingFoodMadeEasy.com website.
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