Kitta is a thin Ethiopian flatbread — unleavened wheat dough cooked on a griddle. Simpler than injera, eaten with berbere or as a quick breakfast.
Kitta (also called kitcha) is the simplest Ethiopian bread — just flour, water, and salt, no fermentation. It is eaten when there is no time to make injera (which requires 3-5 days of fermentation). It is also used as the base for firfir (torn kitta in spiced butter).
A thin, pliable round of bread, slightly charred in spots. The texture is chewy and dense (not spongy like injera); the flavor is plain wheat with a hint of smoke from the griddle. Eaten torn, with berbere or honey.
The dough has no leavening (no yeast, no fermentation) — so it stays flat and dense. The high griddle temperature creates char spots (Maillard browning) that add flavor to an otherwise plain bread. The dough must be very thin (2-3mm) or it will be unpleasantly tough.
Variations
Eaten plain, with berbere, or torn into firfir; some add oil to the dough.
On the Palate
Where Kitta sits in the Ethiopian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
6 steps · 20 min active + 10 min waiting
- 15 min
Mix flour, water, and salt into a firm dough.
- 25 min
Divide into balls; flatten into very thin circles.
Watch outRoll it truly thin, two or three millimeters — any thicker and this unleavened bread bakes up tough and leathery.
- 32 min
Heat a griddle until hot.
- 45 min
Cook each circle 1-2 min per side until charred in spots.
Watch outYou want charred spots, not an even color — dark blisters on a hot griddle are what give this plain bread its flavor.
- 51 min
Stack; keep warm.
- 61 min
Serve torn, with berbere or honey.
