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Flax and Sesame Seed Chaplitas

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  • Prep 20 min
  • Total 60 min
  • Ingredients 8
  • Servings 16
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Chapla is a kind of bread that originated in the city of Ayacucho, in the Peruvian Andes. It's homemade, artisan bread, very similar to pita bread but with a different texture and sabor, that is cooked in clay ovens still used in this region of Peru. Of course, it's the bread of preference for both local residents and tourists alike that come to this beautiful city. I have seen both round and oval chaplitas, as they are affectionately called. Most chaplitas are small, some 2-4 inches in diameter, but I have also purchased larger ones. To make them you can stick with using just bread flour, or combine bread flour with whole-grain flour as I have done with this recipe. Ideally, the dough should be left to rest for a good amount of time so that the yeast can do its work. Once the bread is in the oven, it will puff up, leaving a hollow hole in the center. Later, you can fill the chaplita with cheeses, ham or any other filling. In Ayacucho they eat the bread with cheese and sauco (elderberry) jam, since elderberries are abundant in this region of the Andes. This homemade bread is made with aniseed, giving chaplita its characteristic sabor; however, I've replaced aniseed with flaxseed to give the bread a crispy and deliciosa texture, and sesame seeds to give the bread a rico and delicate sabor. Once baked, the chaplas can be stored at room temperature for a few days. The longer they are left out the more elastic the bread becomes, which I don't particularly care for. This happens because the bread doesn't contain preservatives or artificial ingredients. I suggest eating it while it's fresh, and in the event that you have too many leftovers, freeze the chaplitas and later reheat them in the oven when you're ready for another helping.
by Morena Cuadra
Updated Sep 23, 2015
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Ingredients

  • 4 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup Gold Medal™ Whole Wheat Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baker's yeast
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons flaxseed
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 1 1/4 cup water

Directions

  •  
    1
    Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  •  
    2
    In a bowl, combine both kinds of flour, yeast, sugar, salt, linseed and sesame seeds.
  •  
    3
    Add the water, little by little, until uniform dough is formed. Knead for approximately 15 minutes.
  •  
    4
    Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a cloth. Let rise in a contained, warm place for approximately 20 minutes or until the dough expands.
  •  
    5
    Divide the dough into 16 portions. Over a floured surface, stretch each portion of dough into an oval or round shape, using a lightly floured rolling pin. Once in desired shape, arrange the rounds on a baking sheet.
  •  
    6
    Place a dish filled with hot water on the bottom of the oven and bake the bread on the middle rack for 14-17 minutes, or until it has inflated and is slightly golden-brown.

Expert Tips

  • tip 1
    Try adding 1 tablespoon of chia seeds to the dough.
  • tip 2
    Add 1 teaspoon of aniseed.

Nutrition Information

No nutrition information available for this recipe

More About This Recipe

  • Chapla is a kind of bread that originated in the city of Ayacucho, in the Peruvian Andes. It's homemade, artisan bread, very similar to pita bread but with a different texture and sabor, that is cooked in clay ovens still used in this region of Peru. Of course, it's the bread of preference for both local residents and tourists alike that come to this beautiful city. I have seen both round and oval chaplitas, as they are affectionately called. Most chaplitas are small, some 2-4 inches in diameter, but I have also purchased larger ones. To make them you can stick with using just bread flour, or combine bread flour with whole-grain flour as I have done with this recipe. Ideally, the dough should be left to rest for a good amount of time so that the yeast can do its work. Once the bread is in the oven, it will puff up, leaving a hollow hole in the center. Later, you can fill the chaplita with cheeses, ham or any other filling. In Ayacucho they eat the bread with cheese and sauco (elderberry) jam, since elderberries are abundant in this region of the Andes. This homemade bread is made with aniseed, giving chaplita its characteristic sabor; however, I've replaced aniseed with flaxseed to give the bread a crispy and deliciosa texture, and sesame seeds to give the bread a rico and delicate sabor. Once baked, the chaplas can be stored at room temperature for a few days. The longer they are left out the more elastic the bread becomes, which I don't particularly care for. This happens because the bread doesn't contain preservatives or artificial ingredients. I suggest eating it while it's fresh, and in the event that you have too many leftovers, freeze the chaplitas and later reheat them in the oven when you're ready for another helping.
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