Wednesday, July 6, 2016

Garlicky Caprese Flatbread


There are no words.

I can not express how much I love to make this flatbread. Literally, there are no words. 

Well, I probably shouldn't say that, because let's face it- it's me we're talking about here. Girl who has something to write about almost anything. Girl who may not talk that much, but girl who writes prolifically. And yeah, I guess I do have words that describe how much I love this flatbread.


Words like cheesy. Crispy. Garlicky. Sweet. Fragrant. Summerlicious.

Ok, so summerlicious might not be a word, but don't you think it should? In this crazy world of smashing 2 words together into 1, summerliciuos fits right in with "Brexit", "Hiddleswift", and "Bromance". 

I believe I've made my case :-)

At any rate, this recipe is super easy, super delicious, super fast, and a perfect use for all those summer tomatoes when they come in. I use naan that I buy at the grocery store to save time, and it's perfect for making these flatbreads. 


I'm also the girl (why do I keep saying 'the girl'? Sheesh. I think I've been watching too much "Game of Thrones") who buys the garlic-flavored naan, and than proceeds to rub more garlic on it. What can I say? Vampires would hate me, ha ha. 


I'm anxiously awaiting my tomatoes, as I have tons of green fruit on the vines, so I had to use some from the grocery store for this shoot. I didn't mind. Come June, the tomatoes at the grocery store are in season, finally have flavor, and are pretty cheap. But yes, I'm ready to use tomatoes I've grown. C'mon tomatoes, ripen up! 


Slice them up thin, and layer them on the flatbread.


I may not have tomatoes, but I have basil for days. I'm actually growing several varieties in the garden. I've got your standard Genovese, large-leaf basil. You know, the kind they sell in the grocery store? I'm also growing Purple Basil and Cinnamon Basil. The Purple Basil is, as I'm sure you can guess, a dark purple color. The Cinnamon Basil has green leaves but the flowers it produces are purple. It also smells a little more licorice-like than normal basil, while the Purple Basil smells exactly like normal basil. But this little plant, this is called "Window Box Basil". It's a small, compact plant with small leaves. It smells like your normal basil, but the leaves are tiny. They are perfect for flatbread.


If there is anything that pairs perfectly with tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil, it's balsamic vinegar. I whisked a little with some olive oil to drizzle over the freshly-baked flatbread. 



All you have to do is slice this up, and devour it. Seriously, the whole process takes about 20 minutes. I've been eating these non-stop this summer. I mean, one they are easy and delicious, and two, they pair perfectly with red wine. Specifically, a Cabernet Sauvignon. If you have one of these with a glass of Cabernet, I guarantee you will become like me. A Caprese Flatbread/Red Wine-obsessed, crazy person. And I cannot complain about that :-)



Annnnnnnd, I suddenly know what I'm having for dinner! 

I hope everyone had a safe holiday! Have a great week friends! :-)


Ingredients (makes 1 flatbread):

1 naan flatbread (I like the garlic flavor)
1 garlic clove, halved
1 tsp olive oil
1 roma/plum tomato, thinly sliced
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
handful small basil leaves
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425º. Lightly coat a cookie sheet with cooking spray, set aside.
2. When the oven is preheated, place naan on cookie sheet and bake for 4 minutes.
3. Remove naan from oven. Holding the cookie sheet down with a pot holder, rub cut side of garlic all over naan. Use other half of garlic as well, if desired. Brush olive oil over naan. Layer tomato slices over naan, follow by evenly sprinkling the mozzarella cheese. Place in oven, and bake for 5 minutes.
4. Remove flatbread from oven and sprinkle with small basil leaves. In a small bowl, combine olive oil and vinegar. Whisk to emulsify. Drizzle oil mixture over flatbread. Slice, and serve immediately.



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6 comments:

  1. That looks so fresh and delicious. Our plants are full of green tomatoes too, but it won't be long and we'll be buried. This flatbread will be a perfect way to use one of our first harvests of tomatoes and basil!

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    1. I can't wait for the tomatoes to ripen! I am so excited! I used my last frozen bag of marinara last month, so I'm itching for more! And, of course, I'll be using some for these flatbreads :-)

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  2. Replies
    1. Thank you FlowerLady! :-)

      I hope today is a bit cooler day for you!

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  3. Boy - that looks delish! It's so hot here we don't want the oven on for very long so this would be perfect!

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    Replies
    1. Oh yes, this is a super-fast oven time! It's been my go-to meal lately, as it kind of reminds me of pizza and feels like a treat :-)

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