Pan Bread

Pan bread, also known as skillet bread or fried bread, is a type of bread made by cooking dough in a frying pan or skillet. The recipe typically consists of flour, water, salt, and yeast, and can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as Egypt and Rome. The bread is a staple in many cuisines worldwide, including Indian, Mexican, and Native American.

The technique used to make pan bread involves shaping the dough into flattened discs or rounds, then cooking it on a hot skillet until it is golden brown on both sides. The bread can be enjoyed on its own or used as a base for various toppings such as cheese, herbs, or sauces. As an option, add rosemary and sliced garlic to the dough for a savory variation.

It's great for dipping in Sauce Rouge

BakingBread

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: 8 servings

A loaf of pan bread.

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. yeast
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 cloves roasted garlic, chopped (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning (optional)
  • ½ tsp. crushed flaked or kosher salt (optional)

Equipment

  • Skillet

Instructions

Prep

  1. 1.
    Heat a small pan over medium-low heat.
  2. 2.
    Keep the skin on 4 garlic cloves and place them in the pan.
  3. 3.
    Turn the garlic frequently until the skin starts to brown on all sides and the garlic is soft.
  4. 4.
    Remove from the pan and set aside until cool, then remove the skin, cut off the ends, and chop.

Mix

  1. 5.
    Mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a bowl.
  2. 6.
    Add chopped roasted garlic, Italian seasoning, and coarse salt, if desired.
  3. 7.
    Add 1 cup of warm water and combine until firm.
  4. 8.
    Add extra water 1 Tbsp. at a time, if needed, until the dough holds together and stops being shaggy, but don't let it get wet.
  5. 9.
    Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for an hour.

Rise

  1. 10.
    Grease the skillet with olive oil.
  2. 11.
    Roll the dough over in the bowl with a spatula.
  3. 12.
    Sprinkle flour around the dough and bowl and fold the dough over on itself until a nice ball is formed.
  4. 13.
    Dump the dough into the skillet and spread it out.
  5. 14.
    Cover the dough and let it rise for 30 minutes.

Cook

  1. 15.
    Keep the pan covered and cook over a LOW heat for 20 minutes until the top is dry and firm.
  2. 16.
    Flip the bread, turn up the heat a little, and continue cooking for another 5 minutes without the lid.