FLATBREAD or ARABIC BREAD

Flatbread is the name for a variety of unleavened bread. The dough for flatbread is basically just ground grain, and water, salt, or other spices can be added if needed. Because sourdough and yeast are not used, flatbread has a limited thickness, ranging from a few millimeters to a few centimeters.

The pita or pita also belongs to the group of flatbreads.

Pitas come in at least three varieties: regular, Cypriot and Arabic. "Regular" flatbreads are about 9 inches (22 cm) in diameter and are the thickest and fattiest of the three. "Cypriot" flatbreads are the same size but slightly thinner and are shared like pocket bread. Finally, "Arabian" pitas are crispy and the flattest and largest.

A flatbread, also called shoarma bread in the Netherlands, is a flatbread with a soft crust.

In Cyprus, pita bread is rounder, fluffier and baked in a cast iron pan. It is used for souvlaki, sheftalia, halloumi with lountza and gyros.

In Greece, the word pita means "pastry" and is usually used for various pies and pastries such as spanakopita (spinach pie) and karydopita (walnut pie), which have nothing to do with the English flatbread "pita". Traditional breads in Greek cuisine are sourdough breads, such as the round Karvéli or the elongated Frantzóla. This type of flatbread is used almost exclusively as a wrap for souvlaki or gyros, usually topped with a combination of tzatziki sauce, tomato, onion and fries.

Cypriot Pita

 

Greek Pita

Cyprus "pocket" pita filled

CYPRUS VERSUS THE GREEK PITTA

The Cypriot pitta differs from the Greek pita in a number of ways:

  • The Cypriot pita is filled with the food and not rolled.

  • It is oval in shape and not round like the Greek pita.

  • Lastly, the Cypriot pita is fried, while the Greek pita is usually grilled on a skillet or pan    

 

Saj or Markook Shrek

Saj bread originates from the Levant region of the middle east dating back to the 9th century. Saj bread is a large flatbread that is far thinner than pita. Specifically made in the southern parts of Syria and Lebanon, this bread pairs well with shawarma and soups as well as rolling it up as a sandwich.  It is baked on a domed or convex metal griddle, known as saj. The dough is unleavened and usually made with only flour, water, and salt, therefore giving it its iconic flat look.

LAVASH

Lavash is a soft, thin unleavened flatbread made in a tandoor and eaten in the South Caucasus, Western Asia and the areas surrounding the Caspian Sea. Lavash is one of the most common types of bread in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Turkey.

Saj with Falafal

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