Oregon Cherry, Sautéed Onion, and Goat Cheese Flatbread
Oregon Cherry, Sautéed Onion, and Goat Cheese Flatbread
1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. granulated sugar
3 T. milk
2 T. unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried chives
¼ cup whole-milk Greek yogurt, room temperature
3 T. unsalted butter
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 cup fresh cherries, pitted and sliced or halved
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 ounces goat cheese
Torn fresh basil leaves, drizzle of olive oil, and sea salt, for garnish
To make the flatbread: In a medium bow, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. In a small saucepan, add the milk, butter, garlic, and chives and heat to just warm, 1 to 2 minutes. You don’t want hot liquid, just warm enough to melt the butter. In a large bowl, add the warm milk and butter to the yogurt and mix to combine. Slowly, with a spoon, stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix to combine. With your hands, knead the dough in the bowl and then transfer to a lightly floured surface. Continue to knead the dough for a few minutes, adding a little more flour as needed. Place the dough in a lightly floured bowl and place plastic wrap or a damp towel over the bowl. Let the dough sit for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. While the dough is resting, prepare the cherry and onion topping. In a skillet, heat the butter over medium heat and, when it’s melted, add the sliced onions and sugar. Let the onions cook down for about 15 minutes. They should be golden brown and slightly caramelized. Then stir in the fresh cherries and let them cook with the onions for about 5 minutes. Take the skillet off the heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and reserve. Divide the dough into 4 pieces and shape each piece into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a disc and continue to roll it into the shape you want—either square, rectangular, or circular and about ¼-inch thick. It doesn’t have to be perfect, which is what makes this recipe so pretty. Place the flatbread on a plate or platter. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and pat excess flour off the flatbread. When the skillet is hot, add the flatbread and cook until bubbles form and the bottom is slightly golden. Transfer the flatbread to a baking sheet. Continue with the remaining flatbread. When all the flatbread is done, spread or sprinkle goat cheese on the surface of each flatbread and then top with the cherries and onions. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes, until warm and slightly crispy on the edges. Remove the flatbread from the oven and garnish with fresh torn basil and a drizzle of good quality extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and serve immediately. Note: Although I’ve given a recipe for homemade flatbread, you can also use a store-bought flatbread for a quick version. Simply prepare the cherry and onion topping as instructed and then skip to step 8 and bake the flatbread until it’s golden brown and the goat cheese is soft and melted, 3 to 5 minutes.