Fresh Herb Flatbreads on the Grill

Sometimes it's the simplest things that taste the best.

Take these flatbreads, for example.  Made from a stir-together dough, patted into rustic ovals, then sizzled on the grill, they make that wrapped loaf of garlic bread seem so 1960. And not in a good way.


Rustic  flatbreads can be topped with anything after they take their turn on the grill.  Here, I drizzled the flatbread with extra virgin olive oil, crumbled on some fresh goat cheese, sprinkled with fresh herbs and accompanied it with just-ripe tomatoes from my garden and a few cured olives. Perfect.


Serve a pile of them with hummus, olives, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber for an easy meze. 

Add a tomato and basil mixture for a do-it-yourself bruschetta. 


After all, it's summer and the livin' should be easy. 

Stir-Together Flatbread and Pizza Dough

Using instant or bread machine yeast, which doesn’t have to be proofed in water first, is the key to this easy, no-knead dough. 


I'm also using Hudson Cream bread flour, one of my favorites because it's regional, I've been out there to see flour milled right after the wheat harvest, and it's wonderful flour. In Kansas City, we can get Hudson Cream Flours at the grocery store, but they also do mail order.

http://www.hudsoncream.com/ 

It’s great for pizzas or flatbreads on the grill. Allow 1 hour for rising time. 

Adapted from The Gardener and the Grill by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig

Makes 1 pound dough for 4 individual pizzas or flatbreads

2 cups bread or all-purpose flour         

1 1/4 teaspoons salt         

2 teaspoons instant or bread machine yeast

1 cup lukewarm water     

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon olive oil

In a medium bowl, stir the flour, salt and yeast together. 

Combine the water, honey and olive oil 

pour

and stir into the flour mixture. I like to use a Danish dough whisk, but a mixing spoon or a fork also work well.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature (72°F)

 until doubled in size, about 1 hour.  

Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days before baking.

How to Grill Flatbreads and Pizzas

Use either homemade Stir-Together Flatbread and Pizza Dough or 1 pound of prepared pizza or bread dough. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and divide into fourths. Flour a rolling pin or your hands and roll or pat each portion of dough into an oval. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil and lay each oval on the prepared sheet.

To grill as plain flatbread, prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill. Brush the top side of each dough oval with olive oil. Grill over direct medium-high heat until you see the dough starting to bubble like a pancake, about 2 to 3 minutes, and the bottoms have good grill marks. 

Turn, quickly brush with more oil, and grill for 1 more minute or until the other side has good grill marks. Serve hot.

To grill as flatbreads or pizzas with toppings, prepare an indirect fire in your grill (page 000). Brush the top side of each dough oval with olive oil. Grill over direct heat until you see the dough starting to bubble like a pancake, about 2 to 3 minutes, and the bottoms have good grill marks.  


Brush the top side with olive oil and flip the pizza, using tongs, onto a baking sheet. Quickly spoon the topping of your choice. Using a grill spatula, place it on the indirect or no-heat side of the fire. Cover and grill for 5 minutes or until the topping is bubbly.