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Caramelized Onion and Roasted Tomato Flatbread with Roasted Fennel Pesto

This is actually three (or four) separate recipes. Make the caramelized onions and roasted tomatoes ahead of time. The flatbreads will go together quickly for a tasty appetizer, snack, or light meal.

  • Author: Mary Leir
  • Prep Time: 30
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour + more as needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
  • 1/2 cup hot water (about 105 F – very warm but not boiling)

Toppings

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.
  2. Add flour, salt, and baking powder to food processor. Add vegetable shortening and pulse until it resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Drizzle in hot water. Pulse again until the dough loosely holds together. Turn out on to a cutting board.
  4. Knead dough until a smooth, soft dough is formed, about 3 minutes, dusting with more flour if dough is too sticky.
  5. Cover dough with a bowl or a damp towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
  6. Divide dough into eight equal parts and cover until needed.
  7. Roll out balls of dough using a rolling pin or using a tortilla press and plastic wrap (I use a large ziplock bag cut open for best results). Again, keep covered until needed, using a dusting of flour between flatbreads to keep from sticking together.
  8. Transfer two or three flatbreads to a lightly oiled baking sheet and evenly drizzle about 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil over the top of each flatbread. Lightly distribute oil with a pastry brush or your fingers to coat flatbread evenly.
  9. Sprinkle flatbreads with salt and place baking sheet on the pizza stone. Bake flatbreads for about 6 minutes. The should be halfway cooked at this point.
  10. Remove from oven and flip flatbreads over. Spread caramelized onions over top evenly. Distribute roasted tomatoes and olives (if using). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return to the oven and bake for 6 – 10 more minutes until edges are lightly golden and toppings are hot.
  11. Remove from oven and drizzle evenly with fennel pesto and garnish with fennel fronds. Server right away.

Notes

To make the flatbread ahead, cook each one until done in a cast iron skillet and store in a plastic container in the refrigerator. When ready to use, coat both sides with olive oil, top and bake until hot in the preheated oven.