Pear and Caramelized Onion Flatbread is SO delicious! Warm, crispy flatbread, adorned with spinach, tangy caramelized onions, juicy pear slices, and a variety of melted cheeses.
Thank you Milk Means More – United Dairy Industry of Michigan sponsoring this Fabulous Flatbread recipe. All opinions are my own.
When planning meals, I try to have a balance of protein, grains, and at least one vegetable or fruit represented. I’m pretty sure that when ruled by my own cravings, I would happily subsist on a combination of cheese, fruit, and bread.
I mean, cheese is all sorts of healthy with all that great protein. Fruit is the perfect companion to cheese, and what’s a meal without a little bread? An incomplete meal, I say! Flatbreads are a great vehicle to serve a complete balance of tasty stuff in one delicious dish.
When my friend Rachel of RachelCooks.com asked me to join in the Fabulous Flatbread Challenge, I knew that my flatbread would include what I consider to be the trifecta of a balanced diet: cheese, fruit, and bread! Thus, my Pear and Caramelized Onion Flatbread was born.
Before I get to the recipe, I should probably mention that not only is Rachel inviting a few blogging friends to participate in the Fabulous Flatbread Challenge sponsored by United Dairy Industry of Michigan, but she’s inviting YOU to join in at Rachel Cooks — YOU can win great prizes, INCLUDING A KITCHEN AID STAND MIXER!
We’re talking about exciting, high end type prizes!
More about that after the recipe…first, let’s talk about this fabulous pear and caramelized onion flatbread.
Pear and Caramelized Onion Flatbread is a crispy, baked whole wheat flatbread that’s layered with ripe, juicy pears, savory caramelized onions, tender baby spinach, and creamy Gouda and Asiago cheeses.
Oh. My. Goodness!!
This flatbread is so good, Friends! I chose a super simple 30 minute whole wheat pizza dough as a base, but hey! If you’d want to save time and use a prepared pizza dough, then you’re secret is safe with me! The peppery caramelized onions compliment the sweet pears so well, and all that melted cheese ties everything together beautifully.
My always-hungry-never-full-teenaged Son #1 walked though the kitchen and snagged a slice fresh out of the oven. The kid didn’t even miss a step! About 3.5 seconds later, he trotted back into the kitchen and asked, “Can I have another piece of…of…whatever that awesomeness was? It’s like the perfect food!” That, my friends, is high praise.
After you try the Pear and Caramelized Onion Flatbread that Son #1 doth proclaimed to be the perfect food, head on over to Rachel Cooks to read all the details of the challenge, find out what great prizes are up for grabs, and then link up your fabulous flatbread recipe.
Here’s the recipe for the Pear and Caramelized Onion Flatbread:
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Calories
Fat
Carbs
Protein
Kirsten Kubert
Yields 4-6
Warm, crispy flatbread adorned with spinach, tangy caramelized onions, juicy pear slices, and a variety of melted cheeses.
50 minPrep Time
15 minCook Time
1 hr, 5 Total Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- ¾ C. warm water
- 1 tsp. instant yeast
- 2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 C. bread flour (or all-purpose)
- 1 C. 100% white whole wheat flour
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- 1 small onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
- 1 tsp. unsalted butter
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- ½ C. baby spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 ripe pear, cored and thinly sliced
- ½ C. Gouda cheese, freshly grated
- ¼ C. Asiago cheese, freshly grated
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper, freshly cracked
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Once the oven reaches 200 degrees F, set a timer for 10 minutes.
- Fill a liquid measuring cup with the warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, giving it a quick stir so that the yeast is moistened. Be sure to wipe any yeast sticking to the spoon back into the water. Add the olive oil into the yeast mixture, and stir it to combine. (The oil won’t completely mix in with the yeast water.)
- Measure the bread and whole wheat flours along with the kosher salt, placing them into a large bowl of a stand mixer that is fitted with a dough hook. Briefly stir to combine. Turn the mixer on to a medium-low setting, and then gradually pour the yeast and oil mixture into the flour. Once all the liquid has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium, and allow it to mix the dough for one minute. The dough will be sticky, but not too gooey.
- Pour a little blob (about 1 teaspoon) of olive oil into a large, oven safe bowl. Take the dough from the mixing bowl, and roll it into the shape of a ball. Put the dough ball into the oiled mixing bowl. Swirl the dough around in the oil, turning it over to coat the dough completely.
- By now, the oven should have been heated to 200 degrees, for 10 minutes. Turn off the oven.
- Cover the bowl of dough tightly with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the warm oven, and close the door. (Verify that the oven is turned OFF.) Allow dough to rise in the warm oven for 30 minutes, or until dough has doubled in bulk.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the caramelized onions.
- Place a 10-inch skillet over medium-low heat, allowing pan time to warm. Melt the butter before adding the onions, salt, and pepper. Cook the onions over medium-low heat, stirring periodically, until onions are deep golden brown, and very tender; about 15 minutes total.
- Once the onions are caramelized, gather the remaining toppings. By this time, the dough should have risen and be ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a large pizza stone (if one is available) or a large baking sheet in the oven as it heats.
- Roll (or stretch by hand) the dough out on a floured surface to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Carefully transfer the flatbread dough from the work surface to the hot pizza stone (or baking sheet) in the oven. Par bake the flatbread for 3 minutes.
- Remove the flatbread from the oven. Brush the olive oil over the dough, within ¼-inch of the perimeter. Layer the spinach, ¼ C. of the caramelized onions, sliced pears, and shredded cheeses over the dough. Sprinkle with salt and the pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the flatbread is golden and the cheeses are melted. Crack the black pepper over top immediately prior to serving.
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