This is the fifth installment in Mucho Gusto, a recipe initiative by and for students to help connect us through food in times of isolation. If you’ve got a recipe you think would make a great addition, reach out to us!
Make if you have: Flour, water, olive oil, anything that could constitute a flatbread topping
Makes 2 flatbreads
This dough is incredibly simple, and the end result will look (and taste) like you spent hours on it. The best part is arguably its flexibility… no topping is off-limits. Impress your partners-in-quarantine with crispy, homemade flatbread as a snack, appetizer, or meal.
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup warm water
3 tablespoons olive oil (plus about 1 tablespoon extra)
2 handfuls of cornmeal
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
4 ounces of goat cheese
1 pear, finely diced
2 teaspoons balsamic glaze
Any additional (or different) toppings
Start by preheating your oven to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, use a food processor to blend the flour and salt. Add both the warm water and 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and allow the mixture to blend until a dough has formed and clumped together into a ball. This should take a little under a minute. Next, remove the dough from the food processor and knead it on a floured surface for about a minute.
After the minute has elapsed, use a knife to slice your dough in half. Roll each portion out to an oval with about ¼-inch thickness. Take a handful of cornmeal to each baking sheet, and sprinkle it across the pans. Lay each piece of dough on its respective sheet on top of the cornmeal (this will prevent sticking). Finally, use a fork to poke holes across the surface of each flatbread. Place them in the oven for five minutes to par-bake.
Afterward, pull your flatbreads from the oven, and use the extra olive oil to brush a light layer atop each. You will now dress the flatbreads for their second round of baking. Due to the versatility of potential toppings, this step will look different depending on how you decide to garnish the flatbreads. You can truly go in any direction… consider experimenting with eggs, peppers, and onions for a breakfast pizza, or brie cheese and apples for a sweet version. A good rule of thumb is to add some type of cheese prior to the second bake, any sauces, and/or any fruit or vegetable that you want to soften. To make the pear and goat cheese flatbread, spread 2 oz. of goat cheese atop each to create a thin layer, and then sprinkle on chopped walnuts.
To complete the final bake, place both flatbreads in the oven for an additional five minutes. For the last minute, switch the oven setting to broil on high. Upon removing the flatbreads, add any additional toppings. For this recipe, distribute half of the diced pear and a drizzle of balsamic glaze to each flatbread. Serve warm, and enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Kylie Lato’s Midwest Foodie Blog
