Here's an Idea: Rosemary and Garlic Flatbread with Cherry Tomatoes

For easy and delicious summertime flatbread, prepare dough, let it rise until doubled, form into a round, and brush generously with extra virgin olive oil. Top with lots of freshly minced garlic, shredded mozzarella, chopped fresh rosemary, and several hearty pinches of coarse sea salt. If the cherry tomatoes are producing, halve some and pile them on, too! We ate this a lot last summer. *Sometimes, I knead minced garlic and chopped rosemary into the dough, as well.

Can you tell I'm ready for our garden to drip with goodness? The plants are spindly and timid, but I hope still. Eggplant-topped pizza, here we come!



Basic Pizza/Flatbread Dough (This is a thicker/puffier crust than this dough.)
The recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but I often substitute whole wheat for half of the flour, and the addition of a little gluten will increase the chewiness of the crust .
-2 and 1/2 cups flour (*More if desired; see below)
-1 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. sugar
-1 tbsp. yeast
-1 cup warm water
-1 tbsp. oil

1. Combine salt, sugar, yeast, then add water and oil. Let sit for proofing ('til frothy on top).

2. Mix yeast mixture with flour. Turn onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. (*At this point, I sometimes work more flour--around 1/2 cup-- into the dough as I knead.)

3. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm place until doubled in size. *If desired, the dough can be placed in the refrigerator at this point for a few hours or up to 24 hours. The flavor and texture improve, but I generally don't plan ahead enough for that these days. It's delicious enough as is, anyway.

4. Punch down and shape into a round, as thin or thick as you like, on a cornmeal-dusted baking stone or cookie sheet.

5. Top with desired toppings and bake in a preheated 450-500 degree oven until golden brown and crispy. (Use your judgment here. I always crank up the heat as high as my oven allows for pizza, but just bake it how you normally bake your dough.)