Grilled Flatbread with Ricotta Cheese & Fresh Tomatoes

Bobby Flay is one of the Kings of grilling on the
Food Network with his show "Boy Meets Grill". After seeing a specific show of his I was on an Internet search for his flatbread recipe. I have given you his recipe for flatbread as well, but I was in a hurry and purchased flatbread from the Artisan Bread Co. here in K-town this time around. I have made this recipe in full...just not this time...for shame!!! I grilled my storebought flatbread on the barbeque and then continued with the recipe as follows.

If you get your hands on goat ricotta it makes all the difference in my books. My daughter and I enjoyed this flatbread as a starter to our barbequed lamb of the other night.

I have also included a recipe for roasted garlic for the garlic oil.

Before I go on with the recipes I want to thank Gabi of The Feast Within for passing on the Yummy Blog Award to me. It always means so much when a fellow foodie believes in you and shares the same passions and joys in life as you do. If it weren't for the friendships forged, the great recipes and kindred spirits of the food blogging world I don't think I personally would still be blogging. It was your excitement and passion for food that drew me in in the first place, so I thank you all for that. Now I need to pass it on. As always it is too difficult to choose only 5 bloggers whom I think deserve this award. The list of bookmarked recipes from your blogs is getting too large to cope with. I will never get through all the "yummy" posts I'd like to write about so in that aspect you all deserve this award. If I do have to choose 5 as the rules state I am going to go with a theme and select Greek bloggers from Greece and elsewhere around the world, since that is my absolutely favourite cuisine.

Peter M of Kalofagas - Greek Food & Beyond
Peter G of Souvlaki for the Soul
Ivy of Kopiaste
Elly of Elly Says Opa
Laurie of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska
Maria of Organically Cooked


**Grilled Flatbread with Ricotta Cheese & Fresh Tomatoes**
(based on a recipe by Bobby Flay)

Roasted Garlic Oil:

1/2 cup olive oil
6 cloves roasted garlic


1 recipe Flatbread, recipe follows

1 (8-ounce) container ricotta cheese, drained ( Definitely use goat ricotta if you can find it)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 plum or campari tomatoes, very thinly sliced
2 T chiffonade fresh basil

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Roasted Garlic Oil: Place oil and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain.

Flatten flatbread dough, gently press into a large rectangle, brush liberally with olive oil, and throw on grill. Grill on both sides until golden brown.

Spread 1 side with ricotta, sprinkle with salt and pepper, scatter tomatoes over, drizzle with Roasted Garlic Oil, and garnish with basil and more freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Flatbread:

1- 1/2 cups warm water (105 to 110 degrees F)
1/2 tsp active dry yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 T olive or canola oil, plus more for bowl

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Mix water and yeast in a large bowl and let stand 5 minutes to proof. Gradually pour in 2 cups of the flour and stir to incorporate. Mix for about 1 minute to form a sponge. Let stand, covered, for at least an hour. Put sponge in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the dough hook, add the salt and oil, then add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a dough. Remove from bowl and knead. Place in a clean oiled bowl and let rise, slowly, about 2 1/2 hours. Divide dough into 4 balls, if desired, let rise again for 1/2 hour, and then roll out as desired. Yield: 4 individual flatbreads or 1 large flatbread.

**Roasted Garlic**

1 head garlic
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

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Preheat the oven to 425F.
Remove the outer papery covering of the garlic. Slice off the top of the head so most of the cloves are exposed. Place on a square of aluminum foil for easy cleanup, or select the smallest baking dish you have. Drizzle the oil over the cloves. Fold the foil over the head to completely enclose it, or cover the baking dish with foil.
Roast for about 45 minutes, until the garlic is completely soft and lightly browned.

( To serve, separate the head into individual cloves. Allow your guest to squeeze out the softened garlic as needed. Or squeeze out the cloves into a small serving dish. If you have leftovers, squeeze out the pulp into a small dish, cover with olive oil, and store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to one month).