Friday, April 22, 2011

Recipe for Carta da Musica, Unleavened Flatbread

Carta da Musica

The kitchen was already a mess, and I decided it would not hurt to set one more appliance on the counter and — if I was careful to keep my elbows at my side — there might be room for my rolling pin. I wanted to make Mark Bittman’s recipe for Olive Oil Matzo, his version of an unleavened Sardinian flatbread called carta da musica. Its lovely namesake — music paper — means this dough should be rolled so thinly that you can practically see through it, like parchment.



Bittman discusses and demonstrates the recipe in a short New York Times video.

When the first batch came out of the oven, I ate one, and then started on a second. Because they are so light and crisp, you might be tempted to keep eating them. I liked the addition of a bit of coarse sugar with the salt. The recipe met with great success at a tasting with friends and we’ll make these again next year.

Bittman’s not kidding when he says you have to watch the oven carefully. They will burn fast, so don’t let yourself get distracted.




Carta da Musica
Carta da Musica a.k.a Mark Bittman’s Olive Oil Matzo
adapted from a recipe by Mark Bittman

2 c flour
1/2 t salt
1/3 c olive oil (use one with good flavor)
sea salt, optional


Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Put the dry ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times. Whisk olive oil and water in a measuring cup, then add to the food processor. Let the machine do its thing until the dough comes together in a ball.

Cut the dough into 12 pieces — or more, depending on what size you want the bread to be. Dust the counter and rolling pin with flour and roll each piece until it is so thin you can almost see through it.

Place sheets of dough on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with salt (I also added a few sprinkles of coarse sugar). Bake for 2 to 3 minutes, watching very carefully because they will burn quickly. After the bread begins to puff up and brown, turn it over and cook for a bit longer.

Other recipes for Carta da Musica
Carta da Musica with Baby Greens, Carrots, Radishes and Edible Flowers from Bon Appetit
Carta Musica from Emeril Lagasse
Carta da Musica from King Arthur Flour

1 comment:

  1. My domestic oven goes up to 225C. Have I got to abandon my dream of baking music bread? Thank you for any tips.

    ReplyDelete

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