Hosting This Summer? These Flatbreads Make for an Effortless Dinner

“If you love impromptu dinners or drinks with friends and family, it’s always great to keep a few balls of pizza dough in the freezer or the fridge,” culinary expert Amanda Haas writes in her book Homemade Simple: Effortless Dishes for a Busy Life. “Besides using them to make pizza, you can roll them out and turn them into any type of flatbread to load with your favorite toppings.”

Not sure what kinds of toppings you’re craving the most? Haas has some guidance that will narrow down the options. When you’re hosting next, try her caprese flatbread alongside a prosciutto, brie, and arugula version. The caprese dish perfectly balances the luxuriously silky mouthfeel of fresh mozzarella with the bright acidity of fresh cherry tomatoes.

For the prosciutto flatbread, Haas uses store bought fig jam that adds a note of sweetness to complement the saltiness of the meat; plus, the creamy brie contributes a slight nuttiness. In just under an hour, you’ll have a restaurant-worthy duo of dishes that will elevate an unexpected get-together to “legendary dinner party” status.

Flatbread Two Ways

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Resting Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes 

Ingredients

• 1 pound store-bought gluten-free or regular pizza dough, halved
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, patted dry and torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano plus more for garnish
• 3 tablespoons fig jam
• 4 ounces Brie cheese, sliced
• 1½ cups arugula
• 2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto torn into pieces (omit for vegetarian option)

Instructions

1. Place each ball of dough on a lightly floured surface. Let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. Position 2 oven racks evenly in the oven and preheat to 450°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Lightly dust each ball of dough with flour, then roll each one into a large rectangle about 13 by 7 inches (33 by 17 cm). Transfer each rectangle to a prepared pan. Brush each piece of dough with ½ tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
4. Bake the dough until light golden bubbles form on the top and bottom, 10 to 12 minutes.
5. While the flatbread bakes, combine the cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, oregano, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Taste, adding more salt if necessary.
6. Remove the flatbreads from the oven and place on a serving tray or cutting board. Spoon the tomato mixture over the first flatbread, then sprinkle with a little more oregano to garnish.
7. Spread the fig jam over the other flatbread, then arrange the Brie in an even layer on top of the jam.
8. Toss the arugula with a teaspoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt, then top the fig pizza with the arugula and prosciutto pieces.
9. Slice the flatbreads and serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy of Homemade Simple: Effortless Dishes for a Busy Life by Amanda Haas (Cameron + Co, 2023.)