Serves 4 as a dip/side

There are so many recipes out there for flatbreads. Some use yeast, some use yogurt, but the one I use – because its so quick and unfaffy – is Kate Colquhoun’s recipes for Emergency Bread. I love Kate, and her brilliant The Thrifty Cookbook is one of my kitchen staples.

Ingredients

For the baba ganoush

• 3 large aubergines
• 1 garlic clove, crushed or grated
• 1tbsp tahini
• 2tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ small bunch parsley, chopped
• sea salt flakes and pepper

For the flatbreads

• 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1tsp fine sea salt
• 1tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 150ml water

Method

1. Heat your barbecue or fire up ready for direct cooking.
2. Once hot, pierce the aubergines in a few places with a fork then place directly on the hot coals/wood turning now and again for 20 minutes or until they are charred all over and collapsed.
3. For the flatbreads, mix the flour, 1tsp salt and 1tbsp oil in a bowl. Pour about two-thirds of the water into the flour, mixing all the time. Continue to add water until you have a dough that holds together and doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl. It shouldn’t be sloppy or wet.
4. Sprinkle a board or your worktop with flour and tip out the dough. Roughly knead it for a couple of minutes until the dough becomes stretchy and elastic. Divide into four portions and roll out 3mm thick. These can be set to one side between sheets of baking paper until you are ready to cook them.
5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the garlic, tahini, 2tbsp olive oil and half of the lemon juice until completely combined.
6. Once the aubergines are charred all over and collapsed, remove and leave until cool enough to handle. Slice them in half lengthways and gently scoop out the flesh putting it into a sieve, discarding the skins. Press down on the flesh and remove a much liquid as possible. Then put the flesh into the bowl with the tahini mixture.
7. Mix everything together really well until the aubergine flesh is as broken up as possible. You want to retain a little texture, but still create a creamy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning. It may need more lemon juice as well. Scatter with some of the parsley and roughly stir it through.
8. Cook the flatbread dough for 2-3 minutes on each side over indirect or direct heat on the barbecue/fire, depending how hot your fire is still. Cook until just starting to turn pale golden brown and bubbling up in places. Once cooked, drizzle the with a bit of olive oil, scatter with sea salt flakes and a grind of pepper if you’d like.
9. Serve the warm flatbreads alongside the baba ganoush. Scatter the remaining parsley over everything just before serving.
   
   

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