Smoked Salmon flatbread with Chèvre and Olives

One of my go-to dinners, this flatbread is also an easy thing to prepare for last-minute entertaining.  Because it takes no time at all, you'll even be able to whip up your own dough. Save one or both halves in the freezer then call your friends (and me) and tell them you're hosting the next Friday night pizza party.  :) This dough is a great base for many different types of flatbread, get your creative juices flowing!

Whole-grain Pizza Crust*

Makes 2 fourteen inch round pizza crusts.

1 ½ cups warm water, divided.

1 tablespoon active dry yeast.

1 teaspoon pure maple syrup.

2 cups all-purpose flour.

1 cup whole-wheat flour.

¾ teaspoon coarse salt.

2 teaspoons olive oil.

Place ½ cup of warm water in a glass measuring cup.  Stir in yeast and maple syrup; let sit for 5 minutes or until foamy.

Place all-purpose and whole wheat flour in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.  Add salt and pulse to combine.  With machine running, pour in yeast mixture, followed by remaining 1 cup of water and oil.  Continue processing until dough forms a smooth ball.  Process for 1 minute more to knead.  (You can also do this all by hand, it will just take a little longer).

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, dusting with a bit more flour if dough is sticky.  Place a sheet of wax paper over dough and let it rest for 20 minutes.  Divide dough in half and use one portion for now and freeze the other portion for later.  Place dough in center of a zip-top bag and flatten slightly before squeezing out excess air and placing in freezer.

*Source: Shape Magazine May 2008

Smoked Salmon flatbread with Chèvre and Olives

1 portion whole-grain pizza crust.

½ red onion, sliced in thin half-moons.

1 (or 2)113g package(s) soft unripened goat cheese.  I like Woolwich Dairy brand.

1 200g or slightly smaller package wild smoked salmon.

One large handful fresh kalamata olives, pitted and chopped.

A good bunch of organic fresh dill, chopped.

Zest of one unwaxed, organic lemon.

Cornmeal.

Olive oil for drizzling.

Kitchen Equipment: Pizza Stone (Or you can grill this pizza on your bbq!) and rolling-pin.

Method:

Place the pizza stone in the oven and turn temperature to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

While oven is warming up, start rolling out your dough until you get roughly a 14-inch circle.  Set aside.

Prep your toppings.

Once oven has reached desired temperature, carefully remove pizza stone with oven mitts (just in case you were thinking of doing so otherwise).

Generously sprinkle stone with cornmeal.

Gently place your dough onto pizza stone, re-shaping if needed.

Transfer back to oven and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove stone from oven.

Scatter dough with sliced red onion.

Crumble goat cheese on top.  Alternatively, slice goat cheese into rounds (dental floss works wonders for this) and place rounds all over dough.  I like to use more than one package of goat cheese but it’s all about preference and how cheesy you like your flatbread.

Drizzle with olive oil and place in oven for 15-20 minutes or until edges of crust are golden and goat cheese is melted.

Remove pizza from oven.

Decoratively place smoked salmon over pizza and follow with lemon zest, chopped olives and dill.

Cut into slices and place on serving platter.  Drizzle with olive oil and enjoy!

This flatbread is lovely with a chilled bottle of rose and a side of spring sunshine!  Try my personal favorite, Domaine Lafond  Roc-Epine dry rosé $22. If you're not into the pink another great pairing is Grüner Veltliner (pronounced gru-ner velt-leener). This Austrian superstar makes lovely fresh, clean, and zippy wines, perfect with the ingredients on this flatbread.  Try the Loimer "Lois" Gruner Veltliner 2010 $20 (Austria) or the Dancing Coyote Grüner Veltliner 2010 $21 (California). Pure yumminess!