Farm Fresh Flatbreads
Serves 4-6 (using pizza dough recipe), makes 2 large flatbreads/pizzas
Have you ever tried flatbreads or pizza on the grill? It’s fantastic, and a great option when it’s hot and you don’t want to use your oven. Simply top a pizza dough recipe with some olive oil and very thin fresh veggies from the CSA box, plus any cheese or herb you like!
Flatbreads
1 recipe pizza dough (below), or premade refrigerated pizza dough
1 to 2 bell peppers, very thinly sliced – from CSA box
1 to 2 tomatoes, very thinly sliced, – from CSA box
1 onion, very thinly sliced – from CSA box (last 2 weeks)
fresh mozzarella cheese and/or parmesan cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
fresh herbs, optional
Pizza Dough recipe
1 1/2 cups warm water — warm to the touch, not hot (approx 110 degrees)
1 packet of active dry yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
3 1/2 cups bread flour* – plus more for rolling dough
1 tbsp kosher salt
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1. If making dough, add yeast and sugar to warm water and stir. Let sit for a few minutes while putting flour, salt and olive oil in a large bowl.
NOTE 1: Using bread flour results in a chewy pizza crust, similar to what you would find in a restaurant. All purpose flour also works!
NOTE 2: I use a KitchenAid mixer with a dough hook to make it easier, but you can knead this by hand too!
2. Once you’ve mixed flour, salt and olive oil, pour in water/yeast mixture. Let mixture come together through stirring. If still too dry, add a drizzle of water. Knead on a lightly floured counter (if not using mixer) about 5 minutes, until dough surface is smooth. Shape dough into a ball, place in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap about 1 hour.
3. Heat grill to medium. Alternatively, heat oven to 450 degrees.
Divide dough in half, and using a sprinkle of flour on counter, roll to about 1/4-inch thickness. Dough may try to shrink back on you a bit – you can let it rise a bit longer, and/or use your hands to stretch it. Don’t worry, it will turn out just fine!
If grilling pizza, transfer to a floured board so you can scoot it off and place on grill — just carefully place over grates and don’t try and move it!. If baking in oven, place crust on a baking sheet.
Drizzle olive oil on dough, then layer vegetables in a thin layer on top of crust — then cover with mozzarella and/or parmesan cheese. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
NOTE 3: You will want VERY thinly sliced vegetables, if you’d like them to be all the way cooked. My family likes their peppers with some crunch, so in photos you can see they are a little thicker
4. Bake approximately 10-12 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Alternatively, grill until cheese is melted and crust is firm (you can peak under with a spatula to see if it’s lightly brown on the bottom). Remove from grill using a large spatula and if using basil, sprinkle with sliced basil leaves and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Repeat with other half of dough
NOTE: Make this your own! Like pepperoni? Add it! This is a great recipe to use for traditional pizza – you can add marinara sauce, you can add any very thinly sliced summer vegetable (picture shows some zucchini I had on hand). Kids love it!
