This is a wonderfully soothing dish due to the smooth textures of the mushrooms and barley. As amazing as the flatbreads are, you don’t have to make them if you are short of time. Rice or couscous will be fine alternatives.
Ingredients
Flatbreads
- 1 cup plus 2 tsp whole-wheat flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- 4 tbsp clarified butter (or a mixture of melted butter and vegetable oil)
Mushroom Ragout
- ½ cup pearl barley
- ¾ oz dried porcini mushrooms
- ¾ cup lukewarm water
- 4 cups mixed shiitake and button mushrooms, halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 tbsp butter
- 2 thyme sprigs
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- ½ cup white wine
- salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra to garnish
- ½ tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 6 tbsp Greek yogurt
How to Make It
- To make the flatbreads. Combine all the ingredients, apart from the butter, in a bowl and use your hands to mix them together to a dry dough; add more flour if needed. Knead the dough for a minute or so, until it is smooth and uniform. Wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.
- To make the mushroom ragout. Rinse the barley with cold water, then place in a medium saucepan and cover with plenty of fresh water. Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, or until al dente.
- Place the porcini in a bowl and cover with lukewarm water; set aside. Put the fresh mushrooms in a heavy pan with the oil over medium-high heat, half the butter and the thyme, and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the mushrooms have softened, add the garlic and wine and allow to bubble away for about 5 minutes.
- Next, add the porcini and their soaking liquid, leaving behind any grit in the bowl, plus some salt and pepper. Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes. Finally, stir in the remaining butter with the parsley, preserved lemon, lemon juice and cooked barley. You will now have a flavorful mushroom stew with a thick sauce. Add more water if needed and taste for seasoning. Set aside; reheat before serving.
- When ready to make the flatbreads, divide your dough into six pieces. Roll into balls, then flatten them with a rolling pin into round discs about 1 inch thick. Heat some clarified butter in a nonstick pan and fry the flatbreads, one at a time, on medium heat for about 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Add more butter as you need it and keep the flatbreads warm as they are cooked.
- To serve, fold each warm flatbread in half or into quarters and top with warm ragout, a spoonful of yogurt and a sprinkle of parsley.