• Pita. No doubt you’re already familiar with this circular flatbread made primarily with flour, water, and yeast. However, even pitas can vary: Middle Eastern pitas tend to be relatively thin, while Greek pitas are known for their fluffy texture. Pita’s signature internal pocket is created by baking the dough at extremely high temperatures. It can be dipped in sauces and spreads like hummus, used as a wrap or pocket for sandwiches like souvlaki and falafel, or serve as the base of a small pizza. 

• Socca. Socca, also known as farinata, originated in Southern France and Liguria and is an unleavened flatbread made from chickpea flour. Its dough is similar to pancake batter and is baked in an open, wood-burning oven, usually in a cast iron skillet or copper-plated pan. The result is a crispy flatbread with a smoky or nutty flavor. Socca is typically sliced and served with vegetables, meat, or other ingredients, either added as toppings after cooking or baked into the dough.

• Focaccia. Another familiar flatbread, focaccia first appeared in Italy but quickly spread across the Mediterranean (and beyond), with each region adding unique ingredients. Most often, it is topped with olive oil and herbs and is eaten on its own, but – like pita bread – can also be a sandwich bread or pizza base. The indentations (“wells”) on foccacia’s surface hold olive oil and other toppings in place during baking and are created by “dotting,” which is simply making depressions with a spoon or by hand.

• Simit. A popular Turkish street food sold off trollies or even vendors’ heads, simit is a circular bread (sometimes referred to as a “Turkish bagel”) usually coated with sesame seeds. It is chewy in the center but has a crispy crust, which is caused by using pekmez (grape molasses) as a dough ingredient. Simit is typically served for breakfast with tea, cheese, or tahini. 

• M’smen. Traditional to North African countries – primarily Morocco – m’smen is a flaky, buttery bread usually served for breakfast along with honey and tea. It can be served plain or stuffed with meat and veggies. Wheat flour, semolina, and butter are key ingredients of the dough, which resembles that of a pancake or crepe, and m’smen’s unique flaky texture is a result of rolling the dough out and folding it in multiple layers into a square shape.

• Maneesh. Maneesh is a Middle Eastern bread most commonly associated with Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. After rolling out the dough, wells are made by hand (similar to focaccia), and toppings are added before baking. The most popular topping, especially in Lebanon, is za’atar, a mixture of sesame seeds, spices, and herbs like thyme or oregano. Maneesh is usually served for breakfast; it can be folded over or simply sliced as a flatbread.