Still working on forming a habit

So mad at myself right now!!!  I just made awesome, delicious, gorgeous flatbreads for dinner, and I forgot to take any photos of them.  I guess I'm still getting used to the blogging thing and remembering to get out the camera before I eat. Anything standing between me and my next meal stands in danger of being trampled over as I desperately seek to get FOOD IN MOUTH.

Oh, woe is me, because they are all gone right now, and since I can't eat anymore of them I would love to be longingly staring at photographs of them.  Suppose it will teach me to remember next time to grab my camera, not my fork.

Moving on, I used 2 6-oz portions of pizza dough and stretched it extra thin to make flatbreads.  I'm not really sure how they are different from pizza, or if they really are different at all, but I always think of flatbreads as crisper, more lightly topped versions.  One was a spicy black bean number with chipotle oil and a little pepperoni.  The other was a spin on salad-topped pizza with pancetta and arugula.

Baked on a pizza stone, of course, cause it makes an irreplaceable difference on the crust.  Seriously, invest in one even if the most you ever do is bake frozen pizza or reheat takeout.  It makes a strong, crisp crust like nothing else, but you have to use a pizza peel (or a cookie sheet, cause that's what I got) to slide the uncooked pizza onto the stone.  Now that's a fun skill to master (master, who am I kidding.  How about gets right about 70% of the time).  At first they all either stick to the peel or get distorted, lose their toppings, or get shredded during the transfer--an endlessly frustrating cycle. Or the cornmeal flies all over the bottom of the oven, creating a pleasant burning smell that permeates the kitchen an crust.  But then, just once, one slides off the peel and onto the stone like a charm...and you feel like the coolest person in nerd world.  Totally worth it.  Recipes after the jump.


Spicy Black Bean Flatbread
6 oz pizza dough (I used Peter Reinhart's recipe)
2 Tbsp chipotle oil
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup black beans
1 oz pepperoni, julienned
1/4 cup red pepper, diced



Dust dough with flour and stretch to a 10"-12" circle.  Thinly drizzle with chipotle olive oil, a gift from my wonderful shower this weekend, then topped with about 1/2 cup of whole-milk mozzerella, diced pepperoni, black beans, and red pepper.  Bake 8-10 minutes until crust and cheese are browned. Cool for a few minutes, then slice into squares and serve.

Pancetta Flatbread with Arugula
6 oz pizza dough (ditto)
2 Tbsp garlic oil (chop 2-3 cloves garlic; heat in 2 Tbsp olive oil until warm)
1/2 cup mozzarella
2 oz pancetta, diced and cooked until crisp
1/2 a medium yellow onion, caramelized  with 1 Tbsp each sugar and balsamic vinegar (I used pomegrante vinegar, another shower gift)
2 cups arugula, tossed with balsamic vinaigrette (I used fig balsamic dressing, another great gift from you guessed where)

Dust dough with flour and stretch to a 10"-12" circle.  Thinly drizzle garlic olive oil over the top, then top with cheese, pancetta and onion.  Bake on a pizza stone at 500 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until crust and cheese are browned.  Cool 2 minutes, then top hot pizza with arugula.  Slice and serve.