Country Ham, Pear and Arugula Flatbread

Like your favorite pizza, flatbread offers a blank (and delicious) canvas for any combination of flavors, so don’t be afraid to experiment. We particularly like this crisp bread topped with a marriage of savory country ham and fresh, juicy fruit.

June 25, 2018

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 1 10" round
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 Flatbread (recipe follows)
  • 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
  • 3 slices thinly sliced country ham (prosciutto style)
  • 1 pear, skin on, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup arugula
  • 1 tablespoon honey
Flatbread
  • 3 cups unbleached flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 envelope (¼ ounce) active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water, divided
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

Instructions

Preheat oven to 500°F.

Spread the sour cream evenly over the cooked flatbread. Sprinkle the blue cheese on top of the sour cream. Place the flatbread directly on the middle rack of the oven or on a pizza stone and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, until the flatbread is crisp and the topping is bubbling. Remove from the oven and top with the ham, pear and arugula. Drizzle with the honey. Cut into slices and serve immediately.

For the Flatbread:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, process the flour and salt until thoroughly incorporated. Place the yeast in a medium bowl. Whisk in ¼ cup of the water and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Let the mixture rest until the liquid begins to foam, about 10 minutes. Pour the yeast solution into the center of the flour mixture.

Process the flour and yeast solution until the mixture is well incorporated. Add the remaining ¾ cup of water to the mixture and process again until the dough pulls together into a mass.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough by working it with the heel of your hand, pushing outward and pulling the inside edge over the top as you rotate the dough. Repeat this process to create a smooth ball of dough that is free of stickiness, 6 to 8 minutes.

Grease a clean stainless-steel bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and place the dough in the center. Cover the dough with a clean cloth and let it rise at room temperature until it has doubled in size, 1½ to 2 hours.

When the dough has risen, divide it in half—or in thirds for thinner flatbreads—and shape into balls. (These can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 2 months.)

Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into 2 (10-inch) ¼-inch-thick ovals.

Warm a flat nonstick skillet (large enough to contain your flatbread) over medium-high heat on a stovetop, grill or griddle. Lightly oil the surface to keep the dough from sticking. Cook the dough until lightly crisped and golden brown, then flip and cook the other side. Repeat the process with the remainder of the dough. Allow the flatbreads to cool before adding the toppings.

Reprinted with permission from The Bourbon Country Cookbook by David Danielson and Tim Laird (Agate Surrey, 2018).

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Ingredients

SERVINGS: 1 10" round
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 Flatbread (recipe follows)
  • 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
  • 3 slices thinly sliced country ham (prosciutto style)
  • 1 pear, skin on, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup arugula
  • 1 tablespoon honey
Flatbread
  • 3 cups unbleached flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 envelope (¼ ounce) active dry yeast
  • 1 cup warm water, divided
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
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