Garlic Flat Breads or Chapatti

Although not necessarily anti-inflammatory these flat breads are so easy to make you can have homemade bread anytime and most importantly you know what the ingredients are.  The addition of the garlic and the use of olive oil instead of the original ingredient butter this bread becomes a neutral food instead of an inflammatory food. Add some garlic lovers and you are sitting pretty on the inflammation scale.  

4 Tbsp. olive oil

8 cloves garlic, minced

500g about 3 1/2 cups whole meal (whole-wheat) flour plus extra for dusting

2-3 Tbsp. cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1 tsp. salt and pepper

8 ounces luke warm water

These are great to serve with just about any dish.  I have the dough in the fridge for up to three days and cook some fresh so I can serve them warm right at dinner time.  If using from the refrigerator make sure to let them warm up to room temp before cooking.  If you have a cast iron pan, they are really nicely finished in the heat of the cast iron.  

In the frying pan, pour a tbsp. of the oil and heat to medium and then add the garlic and sauté until golden brown and remove from the heat.  

I a large mixing bowl, mix the flour with the cilantro, pepper and sale, then add the garlic oil from the pan.  Mix together thoroughly and slowly add the luke warm water to form dough.  Transfer the dough to a board and knead until soft and pliable, I did this by hand because it is quick and easy and takes no time at all.  You can use a food processor or bread machine to knead the dough.  Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let rest for 3 minutes.  

cut the dough in to 12 equal sized balls and flatten them into rounds, I used a rolling pin and rolled them less than 1/8" to about 8 inches in diameter, dust with flour and cover so they don't dry out.  

Preheat a griddle (you can do two at a time) or cast iron pan over medium high heat, coat with olive oil and cook until the bread starts to bubble like a tortilla (that is what they kind of look like).  Turnover and brown on the second side until patches of browning appear.   You can brush the bread with oil as you cook it, but that may just add calories that are not necessary.  The breads should be dry when done and partly browned in patches on both sides.  Test a small one to see how long you need to cook it to be done and no longer doughy.  

Hold the warm breads in a 200 degree oven wrapped in foil until ready to serve t!!