While traveling Europe over the last year, I had the opportunity to taste loads of delicious baked goods.  Bread was a staple of our diet, due to our limited budget and dependency on skipping.  Although delicious at times, I found myself getting quite sick of it: bread for lunch, snacks, dinner, repeat.  I didn’t like how full it made me feel, and it’s also not so great when all you have to put on it is ketchup.  When I returned home to the U.S. to visit my family for a week, I was keen to bake something equally delicious that didn’t force me to undo the button on my pants.  Since my Ma didn’t have yeast, I decided to have a go without, and it turned out pretty well.  Enjoy!

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3 c flour
• 3 garlic gloves, finely chopped or crushed
• 1/2 tbsp basil
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 c water
• 1 tsp baking powder (can make without, but the bread will be denser)
• pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190 Celsius.  In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring until everything is blended. Then, knead the dough for 1 minute.  Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking sheet, and roll the dough out with a rolling pin.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Drizzle with olive oil, then top with extra garlic and herbs.  Return to the oven for another 20 minutes, or longer if you prefer a crispier texture.  Allow to cool before slicing.  Serve with apple chutney, hummus, or a soup.

*To make a plain flat bread, forgo the herbs and garlic.

Yields 12 pieces

Yeast-free Garlic Flat Bread