Tunnbrod is a kind of flat bread prepared across Sweden. The term literally means thin bread. It is usually made from wheat, rye and yeast. The bread tastes soft and crispy and is available in many variations according to the grain used and the leavening agent. The size of the rolling pin utilized to flatten the dough can also be a factor in producing variations.
The softer version of the bread is popular as a fast food wrap . The combination of mashed potatoes, hot dog and the bread wrap is known as tunnbrödsrulle or the tunnbrod roll. The Swedish also eat the bread along with roasted herrings and mashed potatoes.
History of Tunnbrod Recipe
The flat bread from Sweden has been baked since the ancient times. There has been no documented history of this crispy flat bread although the earlier versions were often known to be prepared with milk and barley. The age old ways of eating the bread is with Surströmming, a dish of fermented herring. Christmas traditions also include eating a spiced version of the tunnbrod with “dopp i grytan” literally meaning a dip in the pot. The bread is usually soaked in the ham stock prepared for Christmas.
Ingredients Used and Popular Tunnbrod Recipe
There is no standard recipe for preparing this Swedish flatbread as it can be made with any kind of grain available. The common ingredient is all purpose flour which is mixed together with milk, salt and sugar along with yeast and some amount of rye and corn flour.
Rolling out the dough is considered to be a difficult task as it needs to be very thin. A rippled rolling pin is usually used to prepare the flat bread with the shape differing widely on use of other kinds of rolling pins. The thin rolled out dough is fried on both sides and cooled before being consumed.
Serving Tunnbrods
The flatbread from Sweden can be used as a wrap for a number of dishes. The bread itself is traditionally served with shrimp salads (Raksallad), mashed potatoes and Majonnasgurka, a combination of mayonnaise and sweetened cucumber relish. The tunnbrod is often enjoyed as Kesorulle or a wrap containing cottage cheese and smoked turkey.
Nutritive Facts: Tunnbrods
A single serving of tunnbrod consists of 316 calories with 27 of it being obtained from fats. The bread is rich in protein as well and contains 17% sodium along with 8% of dietary fiber.