I have discovered nectarines. I don’t know why I feel like it’s a new experience to me, surely I have had nectarines on many occasions throughout my life, but they never really hit that top ten list of fruits. Maybe it’s because they have become so tempting at the farmers’ market in recent years, maybe my unfamiliarity has held me back because I wasn’t quite sure about what to do with them before. But now, I am fully onboard. I have made cakes and jams and cubed them over yogurt with granola, and I use them on summer salads with salty cheese and toasted nuts. I love that nectarines have the sweetness of a peach, but with just a little tang, and the firm flesh makes them perfect for slicing.
This rustic flatbread has the lovely tangy funk of gorgonzola and the salty bite or prosciutto with this lovely surprise sweetness from thinly sliced nectarines, all brought together under the herbal, woodsy rosemary. And if you can’t find nectarines, you can slice a firm peach instead. And any deeply flavored blue cheese will work.
This makes a fantastic meal, but I really love to serve flatbreads like this as an appetizer on a big wooden board. People are always wowed. You can roll the dough into a pizza round, a rectangle, or my usual rough, simple free form shape. The dough make enough for 2 flatbreads – you can make both, or wrap the dough and refrigerate or freeze it (see note). These are guideline amounts for topping for one, but use your best judgement for your taste, or double up for two.
Ingredients
- For the Dough
2 packets active dry yeast
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon honey
1 ¼ cup warm water
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Assembly
3 Tablespoons crème fraiche
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
1 nectarine
3 ounces gorgonzola
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
Flaky salt and black pepper
Directions
- For the Flatbread Dough:
- Put the yeast, oil, honey and water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Give it a stir with the hook, then add three cups of flour and mix until the dough begins to come together, pulling the mass of dough off the hook a couple of times as needed. Add the remaining one cup of flour a little at a time, incorporating it into the dough as you go, pulling the dough from the hook as needed. At times it won’t look like it will combine, but it will. When you have a nice cohesive mass, continue to knead the dough on medium speed for seven minutes, stopping the mixer and pulling the dough from the hook if needed. When the dough is a nice, smooth elastic mass, put it in a bowl lightly brushed with olive oil and leave it in a warm dry place to rise for 30 – 45 minutes until it is doubled in size. Divide the dough into two equal halves. If you are not using it immediately, wrap each half in plastic and refrigerate for two days (see note). When ready to use, bring one half of the dough to room temperature.
- Brush a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough about ½ inch thick. Use your creativity here – you can roll it to fit completely in an 11 by 7 inch pan, or to fit a 12-inch round pizza pan, or go free form for a rustic look. When you have the shape you want, transfer the dough to the oiled pan and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Assembly:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Dollop the crème fraiche over the crust, then spread it out into a thin even layer. Tear the prosciutto into small pieces and distribute about 2/3 of it over the crème fraiche. Slice the nectarine very thinly on a mandoline, then distribute over the crust. Crumble the gorgonzola over the pizza, then the remaining prosciutto. Sprinkle over the rosemary, salt and pepper. Bake the flatbread for 10 – 12 minutes, until the crust is golden at the edges and the cheese is melted. Let rest for a few minutes, then cut into pieces.
Notes
- Wrap the dough halves tightly in plastic. You can keep one half in the refrigerator to use for the recipe. If you’d like, place the other wrapped half in a plastic ziptop freezer bag and freeze for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using, then let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before rolling.
Great flatbread & toppings! I am thinking about trying it again with figs . . . a delicious combination of salty, sharp and sweet.