Spinach & Artichoke Flatbread with Blistered Tomatoes & Tzatziki
This flatbread has it all going on—savory freshness from a blended spinach-artichoke-feta spread, bursts of sweetness from blistered tomatoes, and a cool finish with generous dollops of homemade or store-bought tzatziki (see TIP B for my recommendations). All of the tastes, textures, and temps are dialed-in to perfection!
- 1 6-8 oz. can (or jar) of quartered artichoke hearts (drained)
- 1 medium garlic clove coarsely chopped
- 5 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves
- 2 green onions (white and light green parts), coarsely chopped
- 12-15 fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 3-4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
- 4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1.25 tsp. kosher salt, divided (plus more for finishing if desired)
- 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper, divided (plus more for finishing if desired)
- 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 24-28 oz. prepared room-temperature pizza dough, unbaked (see TIP A below)
- 2/3 c. shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese (optional)
- 2 pints mini San Marzano, grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2/3 c. homemade or store-bought tzatziki (see TIP B below)
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Put first 7 ingredients plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in the bowl of a food processor (you may need to add the spinach in batches). Whir until ingredients are finely minced and combined. Scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Set aside until ready to use.
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Next, sprinkle the flour over your work surface and on top of the room-temperature pizza dough. Divide the dough in half and stretch each half into a 12 inch free-form round using your hands or a rolling pin. Transfer each piece to its own lightly greased baking sheet and gently prick all over with a fork.
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Oven Method: Put the pans of stretched dough in a pre-heated 450-500° oven for 6-8 minutes to partially bake. You want the dough to begin to set-up and develop a hint of brown around the edges. After 6-8 minutes, pull the pans from the oven.
Grill Method: Preheat your outdoor grill to 450-500° and generously coat the grates with vegetable oil or nonstick cooking spray. Place the pieces of stretched dough directly on the grates (no pan) and resist the urge to shift or move them. After 3-4 minutes, lift one side of each piece of dough to check for grill marks and doneness. Once the bottom turns brown and crusty (maybe even a bit charred in spots), remove the pieces of dough from the grill and place them grill-side up back on the sheet pans.
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Brush 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over each piece of partially baked or grilled dough (grill-side up) and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt each. Then spread half of the spinach-artichoke mixture over each flat leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Distribute the shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese over the spinach-artichoke mixture if using. Return the flatbreads to the oven (for approximately 15 minutes) or grill (covered for 3-5 minutes) to finish cooking. You'll know they're done when the crust is golden and firm and the cheese (if using) is melted.
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Meanwhile, coat the halved tomatoes with the remaining 2 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and put them in a grill basket or large dry skillet over medium heat. Grill or sauté them relatively undisturbed for 4-6 minutes or until they blister and char in spots (shake the pan 1-2 times over course of cooking to flip and rotate the tomatoes). Once done, pull the tomatoes from the grill or stovetop.
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Distribute the blistered tomatoes and 6-7 dollops of tzatziki over the top of each fully cooked flatbread. Sprinkle with more kosher salt or fresh ground black pepper if you'd like. Serve and enjoy!
TIP A: I've tried a lot of store-bought pizza dough varieties, and my hands-down favorite is Whole Foods Market® Neapolitan style. If you prefer whole-wheat, then give Trader Joe's® 100% Whole-Wheat dough a try. Both are incredibly tasty and great weeknight stand-ins. That said, nothing beats making it yourself according to Jim Lahey's No-Knead Pizza Dough. It's worth every bit of effort and yields a huge batch. Great if you're making multiple pizzas or flatbreads.
TIP B: I'm a big fan of tzatziki. I dollop it on just about everything from pretzels, potatoes and sandwiches to spinach pie and flatbread! My favorite store-bought varieties are Cedar’s and Cava—both have great, fresh flavor; the latter is a bit more thick and creamy. If you wish to make it homemade, you can't go wrong with Yotam Ottolenghi's recipe for "Yoghurt with Cucumber" from his cookbook Jerusalem. It's flavorful and refreshing—exactly what tzatziki should be!