Garlic Flatbreads with Smoked Mozzarella and Tomato Vinaigrette

Bread baking is one of my new hobbies, and I have been wanting to try to make flatbread for some time now. While leafing through the September 2005 issue of Cooking Light I found their recipe for Garlic Flatbreads with Smoked Mozzarella and Tomato Vinaigrette. I also have a passion for tomatoes, so this recipe grabbed me on several levels. Last night I went to my BF Christy's house for dinner. She and her husband Stephen (Terry's BF) were taking off in the morning for a family vacation. She gave me her new container of organic Roma tomatoes, fearing they would go bad before their return. Having all of the ingredients, and nothing else to do for the rest of the day once I was done working out at 10:30, I decided that this recipe would be on our lunch menu. (Have I mentioned how much I love summer break?)


Garlic Flatbreads with Smoked Mozzarella and Tomato Vinaigrette

Cooking Light

Flatbreads:
1/4 cup whole wheat flour (about 1 ounce)
1 cup warm water (100° to 110°), divided
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (about 10 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon cornmeal
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Topping:
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup halved red cherry tomatoes (about 4 ounces)
3/4 cup halved yellow cherry tomatoes (about 4 ounces)
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded smoked mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil

To prepare flatbreads, lightly spoon whole wheat flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup water, and yeast in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes.

Lightly spoon all-purpose flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 3/4 cup water in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture, and stir until a dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky). Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

Preheat oven to 450°.

Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 9-inch circle on a lightly floured surface; place on baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Lightly coat dough with cooking spray. Sprinkle dough evenly with sliced garlic; press garlic into dough using fingertips. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until crisp and garlic begins to brown. Remove flatbreads from oven; cool on wire racks.

To prepare topping, combine vinegar, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and minced garlic in a medium bowl. Add tomatoes; toss gently.

Preheat broiler.

Sprinkle each flatbread with 1/2 cup cheese; broil flatbreads 1 minute or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; top each flatbread with half of tomato mixture. Sprinkle each flatbread with 1/4 cup basil. Cut each flatbread into 6 equal wedges.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

CALORIES 139 (27% from fat); FAT 4.1g (sat 1.3g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.4g); IRON 1.4mg; CHOLESTEROL 5mg; CALCIUM 73mg; CARBOHYDRATE 20.2g; SODIUM 194mg; PROTEIN 5.3g; FIBER 1.3g

Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2005

Combine whole wheat flour, 1/4 cup water, and yeast in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes.

Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 3/4 cup water in a large bowl.

Add yeast mixture, and stir until a dough forms.

Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). I used my KA mixer with the dough hook attachment.

Add enough of remaining 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.

Preheat oven to 450°, and punch the dough down.

Cover and let rest 5 minutes.

Divide dough in half.

Roll each half into a 9-inch circle on a lightly floured surface (mine turned out like rectangles.)

Place dough on a baking sheet sprinkled with cornmeal.

Sprinkle dough evenly with sliced garlic; press garlic into dough using fingertips.

Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until crisp and garlic begins to brown. Remove flatbreads from oven; cool on wire racks.

To prepare topping, combine vinegar, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper, and minced garlic in a medium bowl. Add tomatoes; toss gently.

Preheat broiler. Sprinkle each flatbread with 1/2 cup cheese.

Broil flatbreads 1 minute or until cheese melts. Remove from oven.

Top each flatbread with half of tomato mixture. Sprinkle each flatbread with 1/4 cup basil.

Every once in a while I eat something that I am absolutely floored by...Garlic Flatbreads with Smoked Mozzarella and Tomato Vinaigrette is officially my favorite recipe of the summer. It literally tastes like summer! Fresh tomatoes and basil, savory garlic, sweet balsamic vinegar...it almost leaves me speachless. This recipe seems to have a bunch of steps, which a year ago would have intimidated me, but this recipe is totally do-able. As I mentioned above I used organic Romas instead of the cherry tomatoes because I had them on hand. I also used a full 2 cups of the chopped, seeded tomatoes. I didn't have any smoked mozzarella, so I just used regular mozzarella. Rolling out dough is something I have a lot to learn about so what were supposed to be 9 inch rounds turned into rectangles. Terry and I almost finished the entire recipe in one sitting! The flatbread was crisp and held the toppings well, it tasted great warm fresh from the oven as well as at room temperature later in the day. The flatbreads alone seem very versitile and could be the base for any pizza toppings. Garlic Flatbreads with Smoked Mozzarella and Tomato Vinaigrette will be made MANY more times this summer. If you try just one of the recipes that I suggest on this blog, this should be the one! Thanks again Cooking Light!

-Heather