Moroccan · Bread
Clay Oven Flatbread
A thin, blistered flatbread slapped onto the hot inner wall of a clay oven and peeled off in seconds, bubbled and charred — the bread of Berber villages baked in the traditional tanourt-style clay oven. Recreated at home on a scorching cast-iron pan or pizza stone, it puffs and blisters just the same.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 450 g bread flour and 50 g semolina
- 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 7 g dried yeast
- About 300 ml warm water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Fine semolina, for dusting
Method
- 1
Make the dough
Mix the flour, semolina, salt, sugar and yeast, add the water and oil and knead 8 minutes to a soft, supple dough.
- 2
Rise
Cover and rise 1 hour until doubled.
- 3
Divide and rest
Divide into balls, roll in a little semolina and rest 20 minutes so they stretch easily.
- 4
Roll thin
Roll or stretch each ball into a thin round about 4 mm thick.
- 5
Bake very hot
Slap onto a screaming-hot cast-iron pan or pizza stone and cook 1–2 minutes a side until it puffs, blisters and chars in spots.
Chef's tips
- Maximum heat is the secret — a properly preheated stone or pan gives the blistered, puffed char.
- Roll them thin and even so they puff into a pocket rather than staying flat and dense.
Frequently asked questions
What is a tanourt?
A tanourt (or tannour) is a traditional clay oven; dough is pressed onto the hot inner wall and bakes in moments, giving a blistered flatbread.
Will they puff into pockets?
Rolled thin and baked on fierce heat, they often balloon; even if they do not fully pocket, they will blister and taste wonderful.