Roti

Chill is never the word that I would use to describe myself.🤪  I'm the girl who takes her morning walk while listening to an audio book at 2X speed in my ears while simultaneously running through a million to-do lists in my head.  For me, morning walks are less about peace, tranquility and connection with nature and more about organizing my day while simultaneously elevating my heart rate.🏃🏻‍♀️  

A couple of weeks ago, while taking my morning speed walk, I looked up in the tree and there it was - a gigantic barred owl staring directly at me.🦉  I don't know if you've ever locked eyes with an owl, but they have the unsettling ability to look both incredibly wise and deeply disappointed at the same time.
It didn't blink.
I didn't blink.
For a solid thirty seconds, we stared at each other in what felt like an ancient duel of mutual judgment.

My encounter with this magnificent creature made me distinctly more aware that I need to be more observant of my surroundings on my morning walks.😅  In all honesty, I feel like I need to slow myself down and find more calmness throughout my day - not just on my morning walks.  This is especially true when it comes to mealtime.  Not just consuming food because I'm hungry but appreciating the time and energy that it takes to prepare each dish.  

It's only been recently that my eyes have been opened to the world of Roti.  (Thank you Cook's Illustrated)  In case you're like me and you're just now discovering what Roti is all about - it's basically a flatbread made from wheat and water.  It's different from naan and pita bread because it doesn't contain any leaveners. (yeast, baking powder, starter, etc.)  
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I did a little Roti research on google and I learned that it originated in India.  It's traditionally made with just 2 ingredients - flour and water.   My recipe came from Cook's Illustrated so it's got a few more ingredients than the typical Roti recipe.  iykyk🤣  It's still very easy to make and really delicious.  This recipe makes 12 flatbreads but you could easily cut it in half or double it depending on your needs.  ​

Roti
Flour Paste
1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons water
5 Tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour

Dough
1 2/3 cup flour whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup cold water
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white flour
1 Tablespoon butter, melted

Whisk water and flour together for paste. 

Microwave at 30 seconds intervals until stiff.  

Add flour, oil and water to paste and mix with rubber scraper.  

Cover and rest 30 minutes to 1 hour.  ​

Knead in salt.

Divide dough into 12 equal portions. 

Flatten each portion into a 1/2" disk with palm.  

Fold edges inward to form a ball.   Turn seam side down and form a sphere. 

Lightly coat each dough ball with oil.   Press into a 2" disk. 

Dip each disk into a bowl of flour.  

Roll to 6" rounds. 

Place on parchment lined making sheets. Cover with second sheet of parchment.

Place 1 round at a time in preheated cast iron skillet.  Cook 15-20 seconds. 

Flip and cook another 40-60 seconds and until speckled with dark spots. 

Flip again and press edges with paper towel until roti puffs. 

Transfer to counter. 

Brush with butter. ​

Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe