Fresh bread from plain flour, salt, oil and water. It needs no yeast and no oven, just a frying pan. It is filling and cheap, and plain flour keeps for months in a sealed tub.
Safety: cook outdoors
The NHS warns: do not use a barbecue or camping stove indoors or inside a tent. Camping stoves can cause carbon monoxide to build up. The gas has no colour and no smell. Cook outside, or in an open, sheltered spot away from doors and windows. Fit a carbon monoxide alarm indoors.
Ingredients (makes 10)
- 500 g plain flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp oil
- about 300 ml water
Method
- Mix the flour, salt and oil.
- Add water until you have a soft dough. Knead for 2 minutes, then cover and rest for 15 minutes.
- Divide it into 10 pieces and roll each one thin. A clean bottle works as a rolling pin.
- Cook in a dry, hot pan for 1-2 minutes a side, until spotted brown.
- Stack them under a clean cloth to keep them soft.
Smaller batch: 300 g flour makes 6.
Save fuel and water
- Cook all the flatbreads back to back while the pan is hot.
- Keep a lid on anything you boil, and turn it down to the lowest simmer once boiling.
- Wipe the pan clean with a flatbread before washing it with a little water.
- Soak dried beans overnight and red lentils for 30 minutes, to cut cooking time. Always follow the cooking instructions on the pack for dried beans: dried red kidney beans need soaking and fast boiling before simmering.
What you need
- Portable gas stove
Outdoors only (carbon monoxide). Check it takes your canisters- Budget Single-burner butane cartridge stove in a carry case · Search Amazon UK (Ad)
- Moderate Compact camping stove with pan set · Search Amazon UK (Ad)
- Ultimate Twin-burner camping stove with grill and windshields · Search Amazon UK (Ad)
- Gas canisters
About 1 x 220 g canister every 3 days for 4 people (simple meals); 4-pack. Track them on the Fuel page- Budget / Moderate Butane 220 g cartridges, 4 pack · Search Amazon UK (Ad)
- Ultimate Butane/propane mix canisters for cold weather, 4 pack · Search Amazon UK (Ad)
- Matches and lighter
Keep dry in a sealed bag- Budget Box of matches and two disposable lighters · Search Asda
- Moderate Windproof lighter and storm matches · Search Amazon UK (Ad)
- Ultimate Waterproof storm-match kit and fire steel · Search Amazon UK (Ad)
Eat it with
Peanut butter, a tin of beans or chickpeas heated in the same pan, lentil soup, or jam.
OrCore Prep has 14 store-cupboard recipes like this one, filtered for your household's allergies.
Fuel-saving habits
- Knead and rest dough before you light the stove so burners run only while cooking.
- Cook flatbreads back-to-back in one hot pan; stack cooked ones under a cloth.
- A lid or second pan as a cover speeds cooking and cuts fuel.
- Measure water once; leftover warm water can wash the pan.
Dough variations
- Add a spoon of oil for softer breads.
- Wholemeal needs a splash more water.
- For toppings, see store-cupboard ideas on Recipes (filter: bread).
If you have a Dutch oven or BBQ
The same dough works on a griddle over coals or on the wall of a Dutch oven — outdoors only. Filter recipes by Dutch oven or BBQ on the recipes page.
Kit checklist
- Portable gas stove
Outdoors only (carbon monoxide). Check it takes your canisters- Budget Single-burner butane cartridge stove in a carry case · Search Amazon UK (Ad)
- Moderate Compact camping stove with pan set · Search Amazon UK (Ad)
- Ultimate Twin-burner camping stove with grill and windshields · Search Amazon UK (Ad)
- Manual tin opener
Ring-pull tins can fail- Budget Basic manual tin opener · Search Asda
- Moderate Sturdy manual tin opener · Search Asda
- Ultimate Heavy-duty manual tin opener · Search Amazon UK (Ad)
Keep a bagged flour/salt mix in the emergency kit so you only add water when needed.