Yogurt or milk ensures that the flatbread stays tender on the grill, while also giving it plenty of flavor and milk proteins for extra browning.
Cooking directly over a grill provides the high heat necessary to char the bread while allowing it to stay soft and moist inside.
You need more grilled bread in your life. Trust me on this one. This grilled flatbread with za’atar is a great place to start—the dough is an extremely versatile one, made with yogurt and ready to go from scratch to table all in one afternoon, but the real key here is not to skimp on the za’atar. This is not a light dusting or even a big pinch. This is bread pretty much caked in the stuff, and that’s how it should be.
For the Flatbread (see note):
10 ounces (about 2 cups) bread flour
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 1/2 ounces (about 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) yogurt or whole milk
To Serve (see note if using store-bought za’atar):
1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh savory
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons ground sumac (see note)
2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
3/4 cup labne (see note)
Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Using a bench scraper or a knife, cut the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, then place on a well-floured surface (leaving a few inches of space between each one) and cover with a floured cloth. Alternatively, place each ball of dough in an individual covered pint-size deli container. Allow dough to rise at room temperature until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
