Appetizer Recipe: Flatbreads with Goat Cheese, Caramelized Onions, and Basil Recipes from the Kitchn

By lisalang

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for brushing on the bread
• 2 yellow onions, sliced into 1/4-inch half moons
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 4 flatbreads
• 4 ounces goat cheese
• 8 -10 large fresh basil leaves, cut into chiffonade
• Pinch of crunchy sea salt such as Maldon

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from thekitchn.com

Preparation

Step 1

Basil isn't exactly in season right now but it's pretty easy to find wherever you go. (In fact, I purchased all the ingredients for this recipe at my local Trader Joe's.) Fresh thyme or rosemary would make fine alternatives to basil. The onions and goat cheese can handle good, strong herbs!

My favorite flatbreads are the 7-inch Middle Eastern Flatbreads from Trader Joe's. If you use these store-bought flatbreads and make your

I loved these! I cut the onions into thick half moons which broke down into ribbons when cooked. The thicker pieces meant that they had a nice substantial texture when I bit into them. Conversely, I shredded the basil as thinly as possible so that I was able to scatter a thin, even layer all over the flatbreads. Be sure add the basil while the breads are fresh from the oven and still hot so that the ribbons of basil soften a little and release their aroma.

I like the Trader Joe's flatbreads because they cook up with a crispy outside, but can still be a little moist and chewy. They cut easily into 6 triangles, which make a good two-bite appetizer. As mentioned, you could switch these up with different herbs, or add an additional flavor note such as bits of fire-roasted red peppers or seared mushrooms.

They had sweet Maui onions at TJ's, so I omitted the sugar in the caramelizing process when I tested this. In general, the sugar is optional, as it is possible to caramelize onions without sugar. You could also make these with red onions as well as the yellow.

I tested one flat bread in a toaster oven to see if it would work and had excellent results. If you're making a small batch, or if your oven is otherwise occupied, don't hesitate to use it. Just keep an eye on things as the heating elements are closer in the toaster oven than in a regular oven, so it's easy to burn the flatbreads. If I were making these for a party, I would definitely get the onions done ahead of time, making this one quick appetizer that will pay off big in ease and flavor! -

Preheat the oven to 425ºF.

Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the onions, salt, and pepper, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The heat should be low enough that the onions sizzle quietly but don't brown too quickly. Add the sugar (if using) and continue to cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are dark golden and a darker brown crust begins to form on the bottom of the skillet.

Add a splash of water to the pan. It will bubble furiously, picking up the browned bits. Continue to simmer until the water has evaporated but the onions haven't begun to brown up the bottom of the pan again, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Oh, I did this the other night with some homemade naan. It makes such a good 'pizza' crust. Mine had tomato sauce, spinach, red onions and swiss on it though.

The caramelized onions and basil sound good, but I'd have to replace the goat cheese with something else because I just do not like that stuff.

I bought some naan awhile ago and only used one piece in a recipe, then last week during the cleaning out of the fridge I thought about using it up but couldn't come up with how so I stuck it in the freezer for later research. Now I can make this! How exciting!

Trader Joes has great pre-made pizza dough in three varieties: plain, herb, whole wheat. And it is only $0.99. I made a

Made this for dinner with the Joy of Cooking pizza crust (part whole wheat flour) and small pieces of pork rib sauteed with spices and source cream. Super good.

You can also make a quick dough and try pairing madrigal cheese with truffle oil. It is as fast as getting a pizza delivered to home and tastes awesome!

Maker

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