Advertisement

Ingredients

  • 150g flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp dried yeast
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 100 ml hand-hot water

Method

  • STEP 1
    The classic chapati can be made from just plain flour and water. Here's a variation using pizza, or bread, dough.
  • STEP 2
    Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl which is large enough for you to move stuff around in. Hold the bowl with one hand and mix with the other. It's sensible to keep one hand clean: if the phone rings half-way through kneading, for instance. Add the water, a little at a time (you can't take water out if you add too much!), mixing with your hand, until you have a firm ball of dough. Make the mixture a little too wet rather than too dry, as the flour will soak up water while it is rising.
  • STEP 3
    Punch your fist down into the dough, still in the bowl, then fold half over towards you. Punch again, then fold left to right. After two or three minutes, you will have a glistening ball. Put the bowl in a carrier bag and leave somewhere warm.
  • STEP 4
    When the dough has doubled in size, or about an hour later, knock it back with a bit more therapeutic punching. You should hear the air being forced out.
  • STEP 5
    Break the dough into lumps about the size of a snooker ball. Roll one into a circle about 200 cm in diameter. If you have guests and want to serve them all at once, you can roll all the balls out, stacking them on a plate with a dusting of flour in between.
  • STEP 6
    Take your heaviest frying pan and put it on a fierce flame. Don't put oil in it. The pan must be smoking hot, otherwise you will make something hard and unpleasant. What you want is fluffy. Slap the first pizzapatti on to the pan and watch carefully as white spots appear, after about a minute, then turn it over. They are easier to toss than a pancake, but you could always use a spatula. Your pizzapatti should puff up, due to the hot air inside trying to escape. When this happens, it is ready.
  • STEP 7
    You can add chilli, or oregano or ground ginger to the mix, but I have found that too many additions, even roasted cumin seeds, tends to weigh the bread down and it won't come out as fluffy. You could spread one surface with pesto or curry paste, with grated cheeses and put it under a very hot grill for a mini-pizza which is much lighter.If you are feeling very adventurous, take two pizzapattis, spread one with tomato paste and olives, cheese, whatever, then put the two together and seal the edges, then follow the steps above. Caution: filling may be hot.
Advertisement

Comments, questions and tips

Rate this recipe

What is your star rating out of 5?

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Choose the type of message you'd like to post

Overall rating

A star rating of 4 out of 5.1 rating
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement