Thursday, June 26, 2014

French Onion and Olive Flatbread: Ooh la la!




LUCY BURDETTE: Every once in a while I succumb to a new cookbook, even though I honestly have more than I could ever use. My latest weakness was the new tome from David Liebovitz, called MY PARIS KITCHEN. 

And wouldn't you know, it was my turn to bring the hors d'oeuvres to supper club.(Why is it that everyone fights to make dessert?) So I turned to the new

cookbook and voila--found an onion flatbread that looked delicious.

Except for the anchovies (which I know I should like, but I don't)...and maybe the thyme...




With tweaks, here is my olive-onion flatbread, adapted from the recipe in My Paris Kitchen.


Ingredients:

For the dough:
3/4 cup warm water
1 tsp active dry yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Prepare the dough by mixing the yeast, the water, and half a cup of flour. Stir well and let this sit until the mixture bubbles (about 15 minutes.) Then add the salt and rest of the flour, knead this until it forms a smooth ball. (If you poke your finger in the dough, the print should pop right out.) Pour the olive oil into a clean bowl, add the dough, and turn it so all sides are oiled. Let this rest, covered by a clean tea towel, until doubled in size. 

While the dough is rising, prepare the topping.

For the topping:
30 black olives (I used Kalamata but I think Nicoise would be better if you can find them and are willing to pit them)
3 Tbsp good olive oil
4 large Vidalia or other sweet onions
3 inch-long sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Peel and thinly slice the onions and put them in a large frying pan with the olive oil, over low-medium heat. Add the garlic, salt and sugar, and cook the onions until they are golden but not burnt. WARNING: this can take a looooong time. I let mine cook for almost two hours. They still weren't golden but I had to move on!

To put the flatbread together, roll out the dough on a piece of parchment paper and move to a large cookie sheet. You want the dough flat, not risen like a Chicago-style pizza! Let the dough rest 15 minutes, then apply the onion topping all the way to edges. Sprinkle with olives and rosemary.












Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes until crust is lightly browned. 

Cut into squares using a pizza cutter and serve room temperature or warm. Alongside some icy French rose??





MURDER WITH GANACHE, the fourth Key West mystery, is in stores now. DEATH WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS will be out in December.

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8 comments:

  1. You don't like thyme? Interesting. I like it but don't care for twiggy rosemary. To each her own.
    This looks lovely. Maybe a light sprinkle of Romano on top?

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    1. I think that cheese addition would be good too, Libby! The thing about the rosemary is that I have a lovely, healthy plant right in the kitchen so I try to find ways to use it. And no thyme around...thus, a tweak is born...

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  2. This sounds like a super recipe, Lucy, and looks very pretty too. I love French cook books. Mmmm.

    XO

    MJ

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    1. thanks MJ--I haven't gotten through the whole cookbook, but it's great reading and eating so far!

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  3. Wow this sounds good, all the things I love to eat.

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  4. Lucy, I can almost taste it. Bet it was wonderful! That cookbook looks like something I'd like. I'll keep an eye out for it.

    ~Krista

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  5. Love flat bread. Easy to make gluten-free, too, because it doesn't have to rise. And olives? I adore! Thanks for the mention of the new cookbook. On my list.

    Daryl / Avery

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