Grilled Flatbread That'll Blow Your Mind

During the long weekend, prepare this summer-inspired pizza, which features spelt dough, a colorful array of tomatoes and other CSA treats.

Photos by THE HUNGRY HOUNDS

 

I am so tired of wilted vegetables during grilling season. For those who prefer to eat veggies at outdoor summer parties, our options usually are limited to half-heartedly skewered kabobs and corn — thank God elotes are catching on everywhere!

All of this will change this weekend, though, because Imma be up everyone’s grill with this grilled flatbread recipe. Like a grilled pizza of sorts. Rock. Your. World. Finally something HEFTY off the grill for ME. And something everyone wants a piece (er, slice) of. Who’s illin’ while grillin’ now?

I have to thank Rebecca and Paul of the glorious local food blog The Hungry Hounds for this recipe. All of the recipes posted to their blog are wonderful, and the photos are mouthwatering. I don’t read a lot of food blogs (mainly because I don’t have time), but The Hungry Hounds is at the top of my list when I am looking for ideas.

Here’s the thing: Rebecca and Paul both work full-time (and Paul is in grad school), but they still find the time to cook. In fact, like me, they actually have TWO community-supported agriculture shares! Can I talk about how significant this is for me? I love CSAs, but I am always puzzled when farms say that “one share feeds a family of four for a week.” OK . . . one share lasts my family maybe two or three days. Max. I guess we eat a LOT of vegetables (and my family is not completely vegetarian). So this is a family of two with two CSA shares. Redemption. I am not the only one!

Going through one CSA share should be very easy if we are aiming for the recommended daily serving of fruits and vegetables. But only one in four Americans is getting the recommended amount in their diet. A recent article in The Kitchn shows what these amounts look like.

We are more than halfway through the season, but you still have time to catch up! Brush up on vegetable-loving recipes here or visit The Hungry Hounds; they have a great selection as well.

Back to the grilled pizza/flatbread recipe that will change your grilling life: This recipe uses tomatoes that are peaking right now, and the flatbread recipe calls for local spelt from Weatherbury Farm. Don’t be scared about making dough (I say to myself) — this is a no-knead flatbread with a taste and texture close to Indian naan or whole-wheat pita.
 

 

Rebecca shares that “on a warm summer evenings, we like to throw this easy flatbread on the grill, spread generously with briny tapenade and top with juicy ripe tomatoes. The tapenade is packed with garlic, tarragon and green olives and pairs beautifully with the sweetness of August tomatoes. For us, this dish epitomizes summer: fresh produce, bright flavors and smoky char.”

Unconvinced? Go ahead and try it this weekend. I assure you that it will be the best thing at the party!

 

 

Grilled Spelt Flatbread with Tapenade & Tomato

From The Hungry Hounds
Serves 4 as a light main dish
 

Ingredients:

Spelt Flatbread:

• 2 cups warm water (barely feels warm to the touch, about 100 degrees)
• 1 tablespoon dry active yeast
• 2 cups whole spelt flour (we use local Weatherbury Farms)
• 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

Tapenade:

• 1 1/4 cups Spanish green olives
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 2 stalks green onions, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (can substitute red wine, cider vinegar)
• 3 garlic cloves

Toppings:

• 1 pint tomatoes, sliced
• Basil leaves for garnish (optional)
• Fresh mozzarella (optional)
   

Directions:

For the spelt flatbread:
1. In a small bowl, rehydrate the yeast in warm (about 100 degree) water. Stir briefly to combine and let sit 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast-water mixture with spelt flour, all-purpose flour and salt. Mix thoroughly by hand, until it forms a uniform sticky dough. Loosely cover and allow dough to rise for 90 minutes.

2. Dump the dough onto a heavily floured surface, and divide into 4 similarly sized pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth ball by stretching outward and folding back under itself about 4 times. Dust the dough in flour if it becomes too sticky to work with. Try not to break the skin as you pull, tuck and shape the dough. This quick shaping process develops the gluten in the flour without a time-consuming kneading process, creating the chewy texture you are looking for.

3. After shaping each of the 4 pieces, you are ready to roll out the flatbreads. Start with the first ball you shaped. On a floured surface using a rolling pin, roll out a rough circle about 8 inches in diameter; it should be about ¼-inch thick. Set each flatbread aside to rest as your grill preheats.

4. Preheat your grill on high for about 10 minutes. It should be very hot and very clean to ensure that the flatbreads do not stick. Grill the flatbreads, one at a time, on high heat for about 2 minutes per side with the lid down. The flatbreads are best eaten immediately after grilling. 

To prepare the tapenade:
Put all ingredients — olives, oil, capers, green onions, tarragon, parsley, salt, pepper, vinegar, garlic — into your food processor, blender or mortar and purée until mixture has come together in a fairly uniform paste. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerated and sealed, tapenade will last up to 2 weeks.

Assemble the flatbreads:
Spread each freshly grilled flatbread with generous spoonfuls of tapenade, top with fresh tomatoes and garnish with basil and mozzarella if desired.