Proud Italian Cook

Flatbread Pizzas

May 1, 2015 by Marie 25 Comments

Flatbread pizzas seem to be all the rage, have you noticed? They’re popping up on restaurant menus and wine bars all over the place. Sometimes you see them as appetizers to be shared or as a light lunch or dinner served with a salad, I’ve even seen them used for breakfast, either way they’re pretty popular right now.

Flatbreads can be made without yeast which results in a crispy, cracker like crust, the kind I like the best and the kind I seem to find in most restaurants. Another version is by using pizza dough with yeast but rolling it out really, really flat.

You can make your own, there are plenty of recipes on the web, or you can buy a brand you like. Let me just say I have no affiliation with these brands what so ever, I just happened to come upon them while shopping.

The one shown above is a basic Lavash bread, you can find them all over, they work perfectly, they get really crispy and cook up fast.

But just recently I’ve bought a pre-made pizza dough, that’s what they call it at Trader Joes, they’re shaped into long rectangles, 2 in a package and usually in the bread isle, in my opinion it’s a flatbread and they are super good as well.

I think they’re great to have handy when company stops by, I always keep some in my freezer, they take minutes to defrost and they take 10 minutes to crisp up in the oven.

The toppings are endless! Just Google flatbread pizzas and you’ll see what I mean.

First brush each side of the flatbread with olive oil, straight from the package then place on a sheet pan and start layering your toppings.

For the above eggplant version I used shredded mozzarella then placed thin sautéed eggplant slices on top along with red onion, then into the oven it went for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, when it came out I brushed it with basil pesto, it’s fabulous and so easy and it’s wonderful served with a glass of wine!

Serve with a salad and you have a completely satisfying meal!

This is another version that comes together really fast.

Saute up some shrimp in a pan with olive oil and garlic, set aside. Brush the top and bottom of the flatbread with olive oil, then brush top with basil pesto.

Add fresh mozzarella that has been torn all around, arrange shrimp on top then add dollops of roasted red pepper sauce.

Bake at 4oo until cheese melts and bread is crispy.

These flatbread pizzas are so good that I decided to make a breakfast version, sunny side up eggs plopped on top of the crispy bread, and I have to say, this was super delicious!

So delicious that I decided to make this for breakfast to serve some overnight guests that were visiting, and they loved it and started making it when they got home.

Again the flatbread is brushed on both sides with olive oil, then swiped with basil pesto. Crack your eggs in little ramekins then gently pour it out onto the flatbread. I like to take torn, fresh mozzarella and place right near the edges of the egg whites, it keeps it from running all over and holds it together to form a little barrier.

I added a few cherry tomatoes and grated parmigiano cheese then baked in the oven 375 – 400 until the eggs are set, garnish with fresh basil.

Flatbread pizzas are a nice alternative to a heavier dough pizza, nice and light and perfect for entertaining this summer!

25 Comments Filed Under: Breads, Eggs, Pizza Tagged: egg pizza, eggplant, flatbread, flatbread pizza, shrimp flatbread, sunnyside up egg flatbread

Seared Scallops with Pea Puree

April 22, 2015 by Marie 9 Comments

Here’s an impressive dish that takes maybe twenty minutes or so, and it tastes divine!

Buttery rich perfectly seared scallops get placed on top of a pea puree flavored with garlic, shallots, a little cream and lemon zest, it’s ethereal!

Each bite gets swiped into the dreamy sauce for the perfect explosion of flavors!

I have to thank my friend Stacey and Saveur for the inspiration for this dish, I will be making it again and again!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Seared Scallops with Pea Puree

An impressive dish, easy to prepare and tastes divine!

Author: Marie

Ingredients

Dinner for two!
8 large, dry natural scallops
1 bag of frozen peas, 1 lb.
1 cup of water or broth
⅔ cup of half and half, or more if needed to loosen puree
2 shallots, minced
1 large garlic clove, crushed
2 tablespoons, unsalted butter
olive oil for searing scallops
zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

Add butter in a skillet over medium heat, add garlic and shallots and cook until soft.
Add peas and 1 cup of water or broth and cook until sauce is reduced.
Set aside 1½ cups of the cooked peas, keep warm
Place the remaining pea mixture into a food processor, add the half and half, a pinch of the lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste.
Pulse until you get a nice creamy consistency that you desire, I did not make mine completely smooth.You can add more cream if so desired.
Place in a small sauce pan and keep warm.
For the scallops, get your skillet nice and hot, do not use a nonstick pan.
Salt and pepper your scallops and make sure they are dry.
When pan is nice and hot drizzle olive oil on the bottom.
Place scallops in pan and don't move them until you see a dark golden crust form.
Flip them over when crust is formed, cook for 1 more minute, then remove.
To plate spread pea puree on a plate, add scallops and sprinkle some of those reserved whole peas all around.
Garnish with a little lemon zest on top or if your lucky to find some lemon flaked salt like I did, you can use that instead.

9 Comments Filed Under: Sauces, Seafood Tagged: peas, scallops

Spring Salad with Asparagus, Goat Cheese, lemon and Hazelnuts

April 15, 2015 by Marie 20 Comments

I’ve been taking full advantage of asparagus season, my fridge is constantly stocked with those tender thin stalks. Besides just roasting them, which is a given, I’ve been putting them into frittatas, risottos, pasta dishes, tarts and a ton of salads.

In this salad today the asparagus is really the star. You give them a really quick roast to get them out of the raw state, slice them in half lengthwise, then gently toss into a hunk of honey infused goat cheese which has been loosened up a bit with a fresh lemon and olive oil dressing. Honestly, you could stop right there it’s that good!

But continue on please because we’re making a salad today.

For the other ingredients you’ll want to build your salad around what’s in season, and being that its spring here I used a mixture of red leaf lettuce and a little arugula for spiciness, crispy radishes, fresh peas and fava beans, I added in some raw zucchini ribbons because I love the look and taste it gives to a salad, plus crunchy toasted hazelnuts.

Layer everything together rustic style onto a nice big platter and spoon more of the lemon and olive oil dressing all over.

For a special finish to this salad add generous shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano, it’s a must!

4.7 from 3 reviews

Spring Salad with Asparagus, Goat Cheese, lemon and Hazelnuts

A beautiful fresh salad that celebrates Spring!

Author: Marie

Ingredients

1 bunch of asparagus,on the thin side but thick enough to cut in half lengthwise.
1 cup fresh peas, or frozen and defrosted
½ cup of cooked and prepped fava beans, you could use frozen defrosted lima beans
5 radishes, thinly sliced
2 medium raw zucchini made into ribbons with a vegetable peeler, (no seeds)
½ bunch of red leaf lettuce chopped bite size and a generous handful of arugula mixed together or combination of salad greens of your choice
4 oz. of chevre goat cheese, I used the one with honey
the zest of one lemon, you can cut up a few slices for garnish after
½ cup of toasted hazelnuts, slightly cracked open
shaved Parmigiano Reggiano for top of salad
extra lemons for dressing
olive oil

Instructions

Roast your asparagus on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil for maybe 5 or 10 minutes on 375 just until the raw taste is gone, you don't want limp asparagus they should still have a good bite to them, so keep checking. Cool them off and them slice them lengthwise.
Make a lemon and olive oil dressing using 2 parts fresh lemon juice to 4 parts olive oil.
In a bowl mash up your goat cheese and loosen it up with 2 tablespoons of the lemon dressing.
Gently toss and coat sliced asparagus into the mixture, adding salt and pepper to taste.
On a large platter assemble the greens, peas, fava beans, radishes, zucchini ribbons all over ending with the goat cheese coated asparagus on top.
Sprinkle the toasted nuts all around.
Spoon lemon dressing all around, as much as you think you need.
Add shavings of Parmiggiano Reggiano on top.
Garnish with a few lemon slices.