Goat's cheese and charred artichoke flatbreads

  • Side
  • Serves 10
  • 60 minutes
Not yet rated

Howard serves up a gluten-free flatbread recipe topped with creamy goat’s cheese and charred artichokes. These Mediterranean-inspired breads would make a fantastic barbecue side or a tasty snack.

First published in 2016

Ideal for lunch or with a summer barbecue, these gluten-free pizza-like little flatbreads include fava bean flour, which is now being produced in the UK. Made from broad beans, it adds a mild earthy flavour to your baking and can improve the quality of gluten-free bread.

This is a dough that behaves unlike any standard pizza base – it’s more like a thick batter, which you spoon onto the baking sheet and spread as best you can. Expect irregularity and savour the cragginess.

Creamy goat's cheese bubbles away to create a golden crust on the thyme-scented bread. Look out for a jar or tub of marinated chargrilled artichokes – any antipasti-type vegetables would work but their smoky greenness complements the other flavours and a few walnuts contribute crunch. It’s a very easy-going bread – simple to make, relaxed in consistency and it reheats perfectly.

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Fava bean flour flatbreads

  • 175g of gluten-free white bread flour
  • 50g of fava bean flour, (preferably Hodmedod’s), plus extra for dusting
  • 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp of brown sugar
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 175ml of warm water
  • 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Toppings

Method

1
Begin by making the gluten-free bread. Place the flours, yeast, salt, dried thyme and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine
2
Whisk the egg whites in the warm water, then pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the oil and loosely stir it in – you don’t need to fully incorporate it
3
Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave the dough to rise at warm room temperature for about 1 hour or so. Don’t worry if the dough doesn’t rise very much
4
Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and spoon the dough into 3 or 4 oval shapes or up to 10 little circles. You can smooth them out with an oiled palette knife if you like
5
Make the topping by slicing the cheese and cutting it into quarters or chunky flecks. Cut the artichokes into rough chunks, then press them gently into the surface of the dough with the cheese. Scatter on a few walnut pieces and give everything a good grinding of black pepper
6
Loosely cover the flatbreads with foil, cling film or a damp tea towel and leave to rest for 20 minutes before baking
7
Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7
8
Bake the flatbreads for about 12–15 minutes depending on size, until firm, crusty and golden brown
9
Cool slightly before serving. You can store the cooled flatbreads in an airtight container for a day or 2 and then reheat for 10 minutes if you like
First published in 2016

Howard is a food writer and presenter from Sheffield, who first caught the public’s attention on series four of The Great British Bake Off, going on to win their affection with his quirky style and love of unusual ingredients.

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