Braised Fennel Balsamic Flatbread
Make this flatbread dough “pizza style” with delicious braised fennel, thyme, red onion, cream and mozzarella. Baked until golden, and served with a sweet balsamic vinegar reduction.
Substitute:
- No fennel? Try the same recipe with celery or pak choi.
- No red onion? You can use shallot instead.
- No thyme? Try with rosemary.
- No soured cream? You can use yoghurt/vegan yoghurt or even creme fraiche/vegan creme fraiche instead.
- No mozzarella? Try with ricotta/vegan ricotta
- No egg? You can substitute the egg for flaxseed. Mix about 1 tbsp of flaxseed with 2 tbsp of warm water, and let set for 10 minutes before adding to the dough.
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Servings: 2
Ingredients:
2 Fennel
1 Red onion (sliced)
400 ml Vegetable stock
2 tbsp Butter / Vegan butter
6 sprig Thyme
2 tbsp Soured cream (or vegan alternative)
140 g Mozzarella (or vegan mozzarella)
7 g Dried yeast
1½ tsp Sugar
½ tsp Fine salt
200 g Plain flour
1 large Egg (beaten) / Flax seed
1 tsp Olive oil
3 tbsp Water
2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
Recipe:
- Braise the fennels: Cut the fennels in slices of 0.5 cm. In a large frying pan, add the butter/vegan butter and thyme. When hot and melted, add the fennel. Cook on medium high heat, for 4-5 minutes, until the fennel strats to get nicely coloured. Season with salt and pepper, and pour in the stock. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the fennel is tender and the stock has reduced.
- Make the flatbread dough: In a bowl, combine the flour, dried yeast and salt. Make a well in the center, and add the egg, olive oil and water. Use a fork to beat the egg, and incorporate the flour in. Go in with your hands, and knead the mixture for 5 minutes, until you have a soft, pliable dough that leaves the bowl clean. Roll as thin as you like.
- Cook the flatbread: Preheat the oven to 210C/190 fan/7 gas mark. Place the rolled flatbread dough on an oiled baking tray. Spread the soured cream over the dough, leaving 1 cm free on the border. Add the braised fennels, sliced red onion, and mozzarella/vegan mozzarella. Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until golden and the cheese melted.
- Make the balsamic reduction: In the meantime, add the balsamic to the same frying pan you cooked the fennels in. Do not clean it, you want to get some of the stock juice mixed with the balsamic vinegar. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, until reduced a little, and thicker. Drizzle over the braised fennel flatbreads and serve.
