Well we made it back from Tahoe–what a gorgeous 2 days! I’ll share pictures of our amazing campsite later this week, but for now it’s back to the heat. It’s only supposed to be 104 today, you know, nice and cool. I can’t even bring myself to check the SLO weather right now!
When it gets this hot, my eating habits definitely lighten up. Main dish salads, fish, and lots of fruits and veggies replace my usual desire for comfort foods and soups. Even my beer drinking becomes seasonal when I’m faced with actual seasons. While we were at Sierra Nevada last weekend, I ditched my usual ales and drank their foam pilsner, a speciality beer only available in their taproom.
Of course, it’s pretty much impossible to drink beer without ordering a few things to munch on, so we decided to get an order of their Greek flatbread, a hummus flatbread topped with lettuce, veggies, and a crisp vinaigrette–a perfect compliment to the heat!
Once we got back home, I was dying to recreate it. It really was the perfect summer dinner–light enough to not overwhelm you in the heat yet hearty enough for a complete meal.
To finish the meal (just like Sierra Nevada did), we whipped up a batch of tzatziki sauce to drizzle over the finished flatbread and lettuce.
We did end up using bleu cheese instead of feta which, I know, isn’t exactly the most Greek, but it was all we had and it really ended up being a nice addition to the salad. Whichever you choose would work wonderfully.
What’s your favorite way to lighten up during the heat of the summer?
Greek Flatbread
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Flatbread:
1 cup water
1 package (1/4 oz) dry active yeast
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
Toppings:
1 container roasted red bell pepper hummus
4 cups mixed greens
1 cucumber, diced
1/4 red onion, sliced
2 tablespoons bleu (or feta) cheese
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Red pepper flakes, for garnish
Tzatziki Sauce:
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons greek yogurt
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon salt
Steps:
Flatbread:
Measure one cup of warm water (approx. 110 degrees)
Transfer water to medium size bowl.
Rehydrate yeast by sprinkling it into the warm water for 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast.
Add salt to the yeast mixture and mix in 2 cups of flour.
Turn out the dough onto a clean, well-floured surface.
Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes until no longer sticky. Add more flour as necessary while you knead
Transfer the kneaded dough into a bowl with about a tablespoon of olive oil.
Cover with a moist cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 2 hours).
Punch down and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes before rolling out.
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees and bake until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.
Toppings:
Place a thin layer of hummus across the service of the flatbread and cut into even size sliced with a pizza cutter, but don’t remove any pieces.
In a medium size bowl, combine the remaining topping ingredients and mix well.
Add the salad in even layers on top of the hummus to create the topping.
Serve with tzatziki sauce (below) and/or red pepper flakes, and enjoy!
Tzatziki Sauce:
Place all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Place in a small bowl and serve along side the flatbread.
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