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Nov 25, 2012 03:24 PM

Flatbread help


I am looking for advise on flatbreads. My goal is thin crisp and chewy that can be split (or not) and used as sandwich bread . Kind of like Pita thinness with a salted Focaccia flavor and a No Knead bread texture , hah maybe I'm asking too much... I didn't want to mention the bread Cosi uses but that's the style I'm looking for. I gave up looking for that recipe , its like anything related to it fell into an internet black hole.

Anyway , I have tried using the standard no knead bread recipe. while I can get the texture and close to the flavor from that . I can't work with the dough because its too sticky, even with extra flour and olive oil. I also tried Italian Piadina but its too soft like Focaccia.

I'm guessing it would be best to bake on a stone at the highest temp but a lot of the recipes I have been finding seem to be tightly linked with the cooking method. I think that is why I am having a hard time adapting a basic recipe , if that makes sense . I'm hoping someone knows a bread that fits this description or advice on adapting another recipe (possibly the standard no knead recipe) so it can be worked flat and baked thin and crispy and rustic.


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      1. re: sandylc

        yeah, that was my next step and thanks for the link chowser. I guess i could have originally asked if anyone knew how to make focaccia thinner and crispy with more chew. I think i can get that no knead pizza dough to work.

      2. I think you may be asking too much.

        1 Reply
        1. re: babette feasts

          Please elaborate so I can try and adjust.

        2. I've had good luck making whole wheat pita pocket bread / flatbread I can choose to split or not with this:


          1. I made these several years ago and was very happy. But I do not know the Cosi bread so not sure how it compares. Anyway, these went on the grill but I bet you could do in the oven on a large stone or in a cast iron pan.


            5 Replies
            1. re: tcamp

              Here's a recap of the Food Network's recipe for Cosi-type flatbread (from the September 2012 issue):

              The ingredients are:
              1 1/4-oz pkg active dry yeast
              pinch of sugar
              3 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
              kosher salt
              2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing

              The process is basically make the dough, let it rise, knead it a bit and let it rise again, form into rectangles, let rest uncovered, bake.

              Seems like a long process, but if they come out anywhere near what Cosi makes, it's definitely worth it in my mind! Apparently these are brushed with olive oil and salted right after baking. From tasting the Cosi ones, I thought it was butter.

              1. re: jbsiegel

                pretty sure you are missing at least one ingredient.

                1. re: j8715

                  If I am, then Food Network Magazine is too. I just rechecked.

                  Care to share what I'm missing?

                    1. re: chowser

                      Oops...you're right. That would have been a nice pile of "dust", wouldn't it?!?

                      My bad...had to read down the part about mixing the yeast with 1.5 cups of water. Sorry!

            2. The best Pita recipe I've tried so far (#9) is James Beard's Beard on Bread. It uses more salt than most, and the techniques yield pita bread that consistantly has a good pocket. Once I found it, I stopped looking.