Flatbreads

Middle Eastern pita bread, made with wheat flour and raised with yeast, is a flat round of dough baked in the oven until puffed and speckled with brown. The crusts can be pulled apart easily to form a convenient pocket for stuffing: popular fillings are Middle Eastern falafel (chickpea or fava bean patties) or hummus (chickpea purée). Traditional Jewish matzohs use unbleached wheat flour (variations may include egg or whole wheat flour). Religious laws prohibit fermentation of dough, so the bread is completely flat, resembling a cracker. Scandinavian flatbread, often made with rye or whole wheat, is also baked until crisp. There are many other regional flatbreads based on the local grain: Scottish oatcakes and Finnish perunarieska, made with barley flour and potato respectively, are just two examples.