Flatbread with Whipped Honey Chèvre, Herbs & Fig & Elderberry Blaak Drizzle

Flatbread with Whipped Honey Chèvre, Herbs & Fig & Elderberry Blaak Drizzle

By Alexandra Stafford
Blog: https://alexandracooks.com
Instagram: @alexandracooks

Yields 4 flatbreads, serves 10 to 12

Here, rounds of pizza dough stretched thinly are baked with a sweet and tangy mixture of whipped chèvre, crème fraîche, and honey. Brushed on post-cooking, a garlicky-herb sauce retains its vibrant flavor and bright green color. These flatbreads are finished with a splash of Fig & Elderberry Blaak Drizzle, a sweet and sharp sauce to counter the richness of the olive oil, chèvre, and parmesan.

For the dough:

• 4 cups (512 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for assembly
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 2 cups lukewarm water (made mine by stirring together 1.5 cups cold water and 0.5 cups boiling water)

 For the whipped chevre:

• 4 ounces Beekman 1802 plain chevre goat cheese
• 4 ounces crème fraîche
• 2 teaspoons honey

For the basil-garlic sauce:

• 2 small cloves garlic
• A pinch of salt
• 1 cup of loosely packed basil leaves
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• ¼ cup olive oil

For finishing:

• Parmigiano Reggiano, to taste
• Beekman 1802 Fig & Elderberry Blaak Drizzle

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Add the water. Using a rubber spatula, mix until the water is absorbed and the ingredients form a sticky dough ball.
   
   
2. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in bulk.
   
   
3. If you are baking the pizzas right away (as opposed to refrigerating the dough for another day), place a Baking Steel or pizza stone in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to its hottest setting, 550°F. Be sure the Baking Steel or stone heats for at least 45 minutes once the oven temperature reaches 550ºF.
   
   
4. Cover a work surface or cutting board liberally with flour — use at least 1/4 cup and more as needed. The dough is very wet, so don’t hesitate to use flour as needed. Using two forks, deflate the dough by releasing it from the sides of the bowl and pulling it toward the center. Rotate the bowl quarter turns as you deflate, turning the mass into a rough ball. Turn the dough out onto your floured surface and use a bench scraper to divide the dough into 4 equal portions. With floured hands, roll each portion into a ball, using the pinkie-edges of your hands to pinch the dough underneath each ball. Let the balls sit on their tucked-in edges for at least 30 minutes without touching.
   
   
5. Proceed with recipe or transfer each round of dough to a plastic quart container, cover, and store in the fridge. (Note: For ideal texture and flavor, it’s best to refrigerate dough for 18-24 hours.)

To make the basil-garlic sauce:

Mince garlic with a pinch of salt. Stack basil leaves, roll them into a coil and cut into thin slices. Then mince the basil slices with the garlic. Transfer mixture to a small bowl. Season with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Pour the olive oil over top. Stir.

To make the whipped honey-chevre:

Place the goat cheese, crème fraîche, and honey in a food processor. Purée until smooth.

1. If you are using refrigerated dough, pull out a pizza round from the fridge 30 minutes before you plan on baking. Dust dough with flour and place on a floured work surface. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on a pizza peel. Gently shape dough into a 10″–12″ round, using the back of your hands to stretch it out. Transfer the dough round to the parchment-lined baking peel. Spread a tablespoon or two of the whipped honey-chevre over top. Shimmy pizza, parchment paper and all, onto the Baking Steel or stone.
   
   
2. Bake pizza until the top is blistered, about 5 minutes. Remove pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Discard parchment paper or save to use for another round of dough. Brush the basil-garlic sauce over the surface of the dough. Grate the Parmigiano Reggiano over top to taste. Cut and serve, passing more herb sauce on the side.