Potato, Garlic and Parsley Flatbread

Potato, garlic and parsley flatbread is a soft stovetop bread made with mashed potato, plain flour, olive oil and herbs. It is tender, rustic and perfect for tearing at the table with yoghurt, olive oil, lamb, roasted vegetables or soup.

Mashed potato and flatbread are two things my older children would eat at every meal if given the chance. The youngest, however, has strong opinions about mashed potato — namely, that it should not exist. Combining the two turned out to be the solution nobody saw coming. The potato disappears into the dough, making the flatbreads tender and soft, while the garlic, parsley and olive oil give them enough flavour to hold their own beside anything on the table. A hidden vegetable win that nobody at our table has questioned yet.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 20 min · Yield: 6 Flatbreads · Cuisine: Mediterranean · Category: Bread

Ingredients

Potato, Garlic and Parsley Flatbread

• 500 g potatoes, peeled and chopped
• Just shy of 3/4 cup plain flour, plus extra for rolling
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1–2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for cooking
• 2–3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• Black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, optional

Method

1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted water and boil until very soft.
2. Drain well, then return the potatoes to the warm saucepan for a minute so excess steam can escape.
3. Mash until smooth. Let the potato cool slightly so it is warm rather than hot.
4. Add the salt, garlic, olive oil, parsley, black pepper and baking powder if using. Mix well.
5. Add the flour gradually, starting with about 1/2 cup, then adding more as needed until a soft dough forms. The dough should be tender and slightly tacky, not dry or stiff.
6. Cover the dough and rest at room temperature for 20–30 minutes.
7. Divide the dough into 6 pieces. Lightly flour the bench and gently press or roll each piece into a flat round or rustic oval.
8. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add a small amount of olive oil, then cook the flatbreads for 2–3 minutes on each side, until golden in patches and cooked through.
9. Transfer to a plate or board and repeat with the remaining dough, adding a little more oil as needed.
10. Serve warm, brushed with a little extra olive oil and sprinkled with parsley or salt if desired.

Serving Suggestion

Serve warm with Roasted Baby Carrots with Ricotta Yoghurt and Herbs and Greek-Style Lamb Loin Chops. These flatbreads are also beautiful with Dairy-Free Basil Pesto, Savoury Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, warm beans, soups or any meal that needs something soft for tearing and scooping.

Storage Notes

Store leftover flatbreads in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a dry pan or lightly oiled pan until warm and soft again.

Make Ahead Notes

The potato dough can be made earlier in the day and kept covered in the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before shaping and cooking.

Notes

The amount of flour will vary depending on how much moisture is in your potatoes. Start with less and add more gradually until the dough just comes together.

Keep the dough on the softer side. Adding too much flour makes the flatbreads dense rather than tender.

Let the potatoes steam dry in the warm saucepan after draining before you mash them. This step stops the dough from becoming too wet to work with.

These cook quickly once the pan is hot. Stay close and flip them as soon as the underside is golden.

The Grace Table Tip

These flatbreads are best cooked in batches and kept warm in a low oven at around 100°C while you finish the rest. By the time the last one comes out of the pan, the first ones are still soft and ready to tear.

For a stronger garlic finish, brush the cooked flatbreads with a little olive oil mixed with grated garlic and parsley just before serving.