Homemade Mediterranean Flatbread
This homemade Mediterranean flat bread recipe for a quick, easy and healthy vegetarian lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 cup warm tap water, 110 degrees
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
For the Pizza:
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup black olives
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)
- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, roughly chopped
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
For the dough:
First, fill a metal mixing bowl with hot tap water and set aside for a few minutes. This will temper the bowl and help ensure that the yeast activates properly. While you wait for the bowl to warm up, preheat the oven to 500 degrees - not broiling, but degrees.
Then, pour the hot water from the bowl and wipe the bowl dry. Add hot tap water and yeast. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the yeast in the water for 5-10 seconds maximum. Reserve and let the yeast bubble and foam for at least 3 minutes.
Sift together 2 cups of flour, salt and sugar.
Add the olive oil to the yeast and water mixture. Stir for a few seconds. Pour all the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until the liquid is absorbed.
Sprinkle your clean work surface with a little flour and empty the dough. Knead the dough together for 4-5 minutes until a ball of dough forms. Return the dough to the metal bowl, cover with a cloth and place the bowl on top of your preheating oven. (Do not place the bowl on a burner, just on the surface of the oven. The heat will help the dough to rise.) Let the dough rest for five minutes.
For the pizza:
First, lightly spray two small baking sheets or pizza pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Then, when the dough is ready, lightly flour a flat surface and, using a floured rolling pin, roll half of the dough into a rectangular shape the size of your mold. Place the dough on the baking sheet and push the dough in the corners and on the sides. It doesn't have to be perfectly round or rectangular.
Just make sure the dough is evenly flattened. (Repeat with the other half of the dough on a second baking sheet or pizza pan.)
Then whisk the egg and the tablespoon of water together. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the perimeter of the dough.
Distribute the mozzarella evenly over the two flatbreads. Avoid placing cheese on the perimeter washed with eggs.
Next, garnish each pizza with the sun-dried tomatoes, followed by black olives, then feta.
Sprinkle over the dried basil and dried oregano.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Garnish with chopped parsley, if necessary, and cut into wedges. Happy Cooking Time.
