I love the idea of making small flatbreads with various things used as
toppings. I just like the idea of putting something on flatbread and
either folding it over to make a kind of calzone, or just baking it flat
with some stuff on top with maybe some cheese to hold it on in place.

Problem is... except for pizza dough, sometimes flatbreads turn out to be
really, really hard, almost like eating a brick. I just tried making some
Italian bread using Emeril Lagasse's recipe, and even followed the idea of
baking for three minutes, spraying with water (three times) before baking
it for about 45 minutes at 425 degrees. The bread turned out dense, but
tasty, yet the crust was also so hard that it was like sawing through
wood.

What is it that makes flour become so damned hard? I did use all-purpose
flour because I didn't have any "bread" flour, but I also have some gluten
I could add if it would raise the ability of any flatbreads (without
yeast) to turn out with less hardness, while still coming out kind of
crispy and maybe a little on the brittle side.

In short, that's what I'm after: some kind of flatbread that is crispy,
not hard as a rock. Would maybe adding just a little baking powder or
baking soda help?

Thanks,
Damaeus

On Oct 16, 8:27 am, Damaeus > wrote:
> I love the idea of making small flatbreads with various things used as
> toppings. I just like the idea of putting something on flatbread and
> either folding it over to make a kind of calzone, or just baking it flat
> with some stuff on top with maybe some cheese to hold it on in place.
>
> Problem is... except for pizza dough, sometimes flatbreads turn out to be
> really, really hard, almost like eating a brick. I just tried making some
> Italian bread using Emeril Lagasse's recipe, and even followed the idea of
> baking for three minutes, spraying with water (three times) before baking
> it for about 45 minutes at 425 degrees. The bread turned out dense, but
> tasty, yet the crust was also so hard that it was like sawing through
> wood.
>
> What is it that makes flour become so damned hard? I did use all-purpose
> flour because I didn't have any "bread" flour, but I also have some gluten
> I could add if it would raise the ability of any flatbreads (without
> yeast) to turn out with less hardness, while still coming out kind of
> crispy and maybe a little on the brittle side.
>
> In short, that's what I'm after: some kind of flatbread that is crispy,
> not hard as a rock. Would maybe adding just a little baking powder or
> baking soda help?
>
> Thanks,
> Damaeus

When I've made pita - flour, water, very simple - it was great fresh.
Then, yes, hard crusts. Edible as cracker, chips. Not really bread.

Maybe maso for sopas?