It’s A Garden Party
Remember when I said I was about to bombard you with zillions of zucchini recipes? Well, here’s another and it’s so full of fresh garden flavor. Zucchini takes on so much added taste simply by thinly slicing then grilling. It’s a zucchini game changer. If you’re like me and have tons of squash still coming out of your ears, You’ll love this twist. This Flatbread with Grilled Zucchini, Pesto and a Goat Cheese is summertime in your tummy-time!
Like a lot of my recipes, this one can be made from scratch or just assembled with store bought ingredients. You can make it indoors on a grill pan or outside on your barbecue.
Sweet Basil
My basil is so beautiful and healthy this year. I have a lot of it growing, all started by seeds in pots. It’s certainly my best (basil) year ever.
I make lots of pesto every summer. It’s super easy to make. You can preserve it and enjoy it in the dead of winter or give it to friends. Who doesn’t love a gift from your garden?
You can get my Pesto Recipe here – https://wp.me/p9KEfL-2xa
Flatbread with Grilled Zucchini, Pesto and Goat Cheese
As I start this recipe, there is some debate as to what is a flatbread and what is a pizza. Flatbread generally is made with flour and no yeast. I make mine using a basic pizza dough, but I make it as thin as I can get it. You can use my recipe for the dough or if you’re looking for a very easy assembly, just purchase flatbread from the store. You can also use naan bread or any other type of “crust”.
For the dough:
Into a cup of warm water, add 1 teaspoon sugar with one package of active dry yeast. Let it sit and bubble for about 5 minutes.
Into your mixer, with the dough hook attached, add 3 cups of flour with 1 teaspoon salt. Start the mixer for a few seconds to combine. Add the yeast mixture and start the mixer on low. You will need to slowly add more water until the dough comes together and forms a ball around the hook.
Remove the dough and place it onto a lightly floured surface and kneed for a few minutes. Put the dough into a oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel. Set it in the warmest spot in your kitchen and let it rise for at least 1 hour.
Punch it down and separate it in half. Put one half onto a 11 x 17 inch rimmed baking pan. Put the other half into a freezer bag, mark what it is and the date and then you’ve got one for the next time. Just let it defrost and you’re good to go.
Let the dough rise for about 1 more hour, then start to push the dough out to fit the pan.
For the Zucchini and Onion
I use either zucchini or crook neck or a combination. Use a mandolin to cut the zucchini, but if you don’t have one, slice to about 1/4 inch thick. Put the cut squash into a colander over your sink and sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of salt. Let the zucchini sit for at least 1 hour to reduce as much of the excess water as possible. Cut one large onion as thinly as possible. I use my mandolin for this as well.
Dry off the zucchini with a paper towel and put it into a large bowl. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and about 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. No salt is necessary as it’s plenty salty enough from the water purging exercise!
Set a grill pan (Or do this outside on your barbecue and cook the whole flatbread out there on the grill, it’s wonderful done that way too.) Lightly spray with pan with non-stick cooking spray. Grill each side about 2-3 minutes until you see nice grill marks.
Add the onion to the grill pan and cook until soft and lightly golden, tossing frequently, about 5 minutes on high heat.
Put the zucchini and the onion back into the bowl. (You can do this early in the day, refrigerate then use when you’re ready to assemble.)
Assembly – Flatbread with Grilled Zucchini, Pesto and Goat Cheese
Lay the onion over the top of the dough. Next, add the grilled squash on top. Dollop the top with the pesto sauce.
Bake for about 15 minutes until the crust is starting to brown. Remove from the oven, crumble to goat cheese over the top, then about 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes.
Slice and enjoy!
Flatbread with Grilled Zucchini, Pesto and Goat Cheese
Ingredients
For the flatbread
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 envelope active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For the Vegetables
- 3-4 small to medium sized zucchini or crook neck squash
- 1 medium onion
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Flatbread Assembly
- 1/2 cup pesto sauce
- 1/2 cup Parmesan or Romano cheese
- 4 ounces goat cheese
Instructions
- For the dough:
- Into a cup of warm water, add 1 teaspoon sugar with one package of active dry yeast. Let it sit and bubble for about 5 minutes.
- Into your mixer, with the dough hook attached, add 3 cups of flour with 1 teaspoon salt.
- Start the mixer for a few seconds to combine.
- Add the yeast mixture and start the mixer on low. You will need to slowly add more water until the dough comes together and forms a ball around the hook. (up to 1 more cup of water)
- Remove the dough and place it onto a lightly floured surface and kneed for a few minutes.
- Put the dough into a oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a towel.
- Set it in the warmest spot in your kitchen and let it rise for at least 1 hour.
- Punch the dough down and separate it in half.
- Put one half onto a 11 x 17 inch rimmed baking pan.
- Put the other half into a freezer bag, mark what it is and the date and then you've got one for the next time. Just let it defrost and you're good to go.
- Let the dough rise for about 1 more hour, then start to gently push the dough out to fit the pan.
For the Zucchini and Onion
- Use a mandolin to cut the zucchini, but if you don't have one, slice to about 1/4 inch thick.
- Put the cut squash into a colander over your sink and sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of salt. Let the zucchini sit for at least 1 hour to reduce as much of the excess water as possible.
- Cut one large onion as thinly as possible.
- Dry off the zucchini with a paper towel and put it into a large bowl.
- Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and about 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. (No salt is necessary)
- Set a grill pan (Or do this outside on your barbecue)
- Lightly spray with pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Grill each side about 2-3 minutes until you see nice grill marks.
- Add the onion to the grill pan and cook until soft and lightly golden, tossing frequently, about 5 minutes on high heat.
- Put the zucchini and the onion back into the bowl. (You can do this early in the day, refrigerate then use when you're ready to assemble.)
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees (or cook on barbecue over direct medium flame)
- Lay the onion over the top of the dough.
- Next, add the squash on top.
- Dollop the top with the pesto sauce.
- Bake for about 15 minutes until the crust is starting to brown.
- Remove from the oven, crumble to goat cheese over the top, then about 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.
- Bake for another 5 minutes.
- Slice and enjoy!
