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Gluten-Free Flatbread
with
Tomato & Harissa Hummus
* *
These super quick-to-make gluten-free flatbreads are easy to make right before serving. They are best eaten the same day as making them, served whole or cut up in triangles to scoop into hummus.
The tomato & harissa hummus is lovely & creamy with a nutty buttery & zingy flavour. Adding the fresh and sun-dried tomatoes gives the hummus some freshness and warm colour. Seasoned with sumac and harissa paste, this hummus is a welcome addition to a mezze sharing platter.
About this flatbread:
What’s different about this flatbread compared to most bread recipes is how quick they are to make, only needing 10 mins to rest before pan-frying them briefly. Another difference is the absence of yeast. Baking powder is added instead to give the flatbread a slight rise and a fluffy texture inside. As with most gluten-free bread, xanthan gum is an essential ingredient to bind the bread together, otherwise, it’ll fall apart while rolling and frying.
Flatbread flavours:
Adding fresh coriander to the dough before frying gives a flavour boost and appealing look, but feel free to leave this out or alternatively add some fresh parsley or chives.
Depending on how you intend to serve the flatbreads, you may like to season them with some Ras el Hanout spices or garam masala before frying them. These spiced flatbreads are delicious served with curries, casseroles or soups.
About the Hummus Ingredients:
Butterbeans & Chickpeas
This recipe is based on my original recipe for hummus, but I have reduced the quantity of chickpeas to a quarter and the remaining three quarters, added butterbeans. As I always seem to have surplus stock of dried and tinned pulses and beans, I thought of mixing them with slow-cooked butterbeans. It resulted in a creamy and nutty-buttery flavour.
Dried or tinned?
Using dried pulses that are soaked and cooked slowly gives the hummus that extra depth and flavour over tinned pulses. However, it goes without saying how laborious it is to prepare compared to opening a tin and using it immediately. If you are a hummus fan, then give both methods a try and compare for yourself – you may even prefer the flavour from the tinned pulses!
What is Harissa?
This North African paste is made from roasted red peppers and chillis. It is seasoned with garlic, coriander, cumin and caraway seeds. Oil is added to combine these strong flavours into a vibrant paste.
Harissa is added sparingly to many Middle Eastern & North African dishes and as a spicy condiment. Those who are familiar with Shakshuka (the fried egg in pepper sauce dish), will find that harissa paste is added to the sauce to give this dish its distinct flavour.
Never tried harissa before? A little goes a long way, so be frugal when adding it to your dishes. It has many layers of flavours, the first thing that stands out is the chilli punch, but it is more pungent than spicy. Then it is followed by some citrus notes and finished off with a mellow spice blend that lingers and intrigues you to try some more.
What is Sumac?
Sumac is a spice ground from red berries grown on the Mediterranean Rhus Coriaria shrub. This spice is used extensively in Middle Eastern cooking for its lemony flavour and rich red colour. It is known to bring out the natural flavours of meat and vegetables, making it a perfect marinade.
Sumac goes beautifully sprinkled on some fresh tomatoes, which is why this spice works so well in this tomato & harissa hummus.
What is Tahini?
Tahini is an essential addition to make many dips like hummus and baba ghanoush, giving it a nutty rich flavour.
This Middle Eastern condiment is made from toasted sesame seeds in the same way peanut butter or almond butter is made, but tastes less sweet. The oils from the seeds are released and blended until the paste is smooth and thick. Some extra oil and salt are added to preserve tahini, but it is best to keep it chilled once opened to prolong its shelf life. Brands vary in taste and consistency. Sticking to authentic Middle Eastern brands guarantees the best Tahini paste.
Dried butterbeans and chickpeas can be cooked ahead of time and frozen to use later in hummus dips.
Gluten-Free Flatbread with Tomato & Harissa Hummus
Equipment
- Crepe pan or regular frying pan
Ingredients
TOMATO & HARISSA HUMMUS DIP
- 200 g dried * or tinned butterbeans
- 50 g dried * or tinned chickpeas/garbanzos
- 1 bay leaf * for cooking dried pulses only
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda/baking soda * for cooking dried pulses only
- ½ tsp salt * for cooking dried pulses only
- 1 garlic clove* for cooking dried pulses only
- 5 pieces sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 garlic, chopped roughly
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp Tahini (sesame paste)
- ⅛ tsp harissa paste
- 2 cherry tomatoes, or
- ¼ regular size tomato
- 2-3 tbsp ice-cold water
- ½ tsp sumac powder
- ½ tsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- salt and white pepper, to taste
- ½ tsp harissa paste, to decorate
- olive oil, to drizzle over the hummus
- pine nuts, for garnishing
- fresh mint leaves, for garnishing
GLUTEN-FREE FLATBREADS
- 200 g store-bought or homemade gluten-free plain flour
- ½ tsp xanthan gum
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 140 g Greek plain yoghurt (full or low fat)
- 3-4 tbsp ice cold water
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped roughly
- Tapioca flour, for rolling
- Sunflower or vegetable oil, for brushing pan
Instructions
TOMATO & HARISSA HUMMUS DIP
- If using dried pulses, soak them overnight in plenty of fresh water.
- Drain the water and rinse the pulses.
- Transfer the rinsed pulses to a large pot and cover them with water.
- Add the bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, salt, bay leaf and garlic clove.
- Bring to a boil and simmer on medium heat for 2 hours until the pulses are soft.
- Once the pulses are cooked, gather and measure all the hummus ingredients.
- Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water and allow them to soften for 15 mins.
- Mix the lemon juice, garlic and salt together in a small bowl. Allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Using a food processor, blend the lemon juice mixture and the drained sun-dried tomatoes for a few seconds.
- Add the pulses and blend for 30 seconds, scraping down the sides and blend again for 15 seconds.
- Add the Tahini, harissa paste and fresh tomatoes. Blend well until the tomatoes are completely broken down.
- While the blades are running, add the ice-cold water gradually, until the hummus looks smooth and creamy.
- Blend in the sumac powder, ground cumin, honey and olive oil.
- Taste the hummus and add more seasoning if needed.
- Drizzle some olive oil over the hummus and decorate with some harissa paste, pine nuts and fresh mint leaves.
- Cover and chill until serving.
GLUTEN-FREE FLATBREADS
- Whisk the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Form a well in the middle and add the yoghurt.
- Using a wooden spoon, mix the yoghurt into the flour mixture until it starts to come together.
- Gradually add one tablespoon of ice-cold water at a time to the mixture and stop adding when the dough feels soft and manageable.
- Lightly dust the countertop with some tapioca flour and roll the dough out into a log about 8 cm thick.
- Divide the dough into equal portions.
- Roll the dough portions over some fresh coriander leaves and knead it into a ball.
- Cover the dough balls with a tea towel and leave to rest for 10 mins.
- Heat a crêpe pan or regular frying pan to medium heat.
- Flatten down the dough ball with the palm of your hand and using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a 12 cm circle.
- Brush some oil on the heated pan and place as many flatbreads as can fit in the pan.
- Fry each side for 2-3 mins. Fry them a bit longer if you would like them more golden.
- Cover the cooked flatbreads with a tea towel and serve them immediately whole or cut into wedges.
Notes
Gluten-Free Flatbreads
- Best eaten on the same day as making them
- Reheat them in a moderate oven covered in foil or in the air fryer (180°C/350°F) for 5 mins
- Suitable to freeze and can be reheated straight from frozen
Tomato & Harissa Hummus
- The hummus keeps chilled and covered or in a sealed container for 3 days
- Not suitable to freeze
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