Strawberry Balsamic Flatbread

 photo credit: http://joythebaker.com

Strawberry Balsamic Flatbread

original recipe: http://joythebaker.com/2011/06/strawberry-balsamic-flatbread/

Ingredients:

• 2 packages (about 5 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (between 110 and 115 degrees F)
• 3 cups of flour, divided into 1 cup increments
• 3 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 cup thinly sliced strawberries
• coarse sea salt for topping
• 1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
• good quality balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, coarsely chopped

Instructions:

In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Stir to dissolve. I use a fork so I can mash and stir any yeast clumps. Add the flour and blend together until smooth. Cover and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.

After the mixture has risen, remove the covering and stir in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, sugar, and orange zest. Add one cup of flour and stir to blend. Add the remaining cup of flour and salt and work together into a dough.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add up to 1/3 cup more flour and knead. Dough will be slightly sticky, and that’s alright.

Clean out the large bowl and coat with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Place dough in the bowl, and flip it over so that it’s entirely coated in oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Punch the dough down and knead for just a minute, before pulling and stretching the dough into a 16×9-inch rectangle. I used a rolling pin to help me to this. Place on a greased baking sheet and let rise for 30 minutes.

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.

When dough has risen, use your fingers to make random indentations in the puffed dough. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with sliced strawberries, and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake bread for 30 to 35 minutes, until golden, crisp and baked through. I rotated the pan once, halfway through baking.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from the baking pan, slice into squares with a pizza cutter and drizzle with balsamic vinegar, goat cheese, and fresh mint.

Serve.

This bread is best served within 2 days of baking.