Galettes Completes paired with a Vigné-Lourac Les Perles and the Weekly Menu #FrenchWinophiles

Pour yourself a glass of this Vigné-Lourac Les Perles and imagine you are sitting at a French café, people watching, as you enjoy this classic French Brunch dish.

M is for Melon

I enjoyed this refreshing summer salad as a light dinner one evening, so I put together just enough for one person.  It would make a great dish to take to a potluck or to serve with dinner when you are grilling.  It can be made to serve 1 or 50, with ingredient adjustments to fit your menu.

M is for Melon........

Fig and Prosciutto Pizza #SundayFunday

Crispy flatbread topped with creamy gorgonzola, sweet figs, and delicate prosciutto.  A perfect appetizer at your next gathering on the deck or patio.

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are celebrating Figs today......

Uccellini-Scappati and a Nebbiolo from Lombardy #ItalianFWT

Scrumptious pork cutlets filled with pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes and sage covered in a savory red wine sauce.

We are visiting Lombardia this month with our Italian Food Wine and Travel group.......

Creamy Garlic Flat Bread Pizza #BreadBakers

Welcome to Bread Bakers where each month we get together and bake up some loaves based on a theme chosen by one of our members.  This month's theme, Flat Breads made with yeast/starter was chosen by Sonia of Sonlicious.  

The possibilities for this theme are endless.  In fact, Sonia, sent us a complete list from Wikipedia in case we needed some ideas. 

Of course, the most popular in the USA right now is a concoction called the Flatbread Pizza.  What makes a Flatbread Pizza different from a regular pizza?  Well, I think there are lots of answers to that question. 

Let me tell you what made my Flatbread pizza different than, say, my Cheeseburger Pizza or my regular go to pizza dough.

The dough used for this flatbread pizza contains much less yeast, a scant 1/2 teaspoon as compared to two packages which equals 4 1/2 teaspoons.  The second difference is that I docked the dough.  This means that I took a fork and punch little holes all over the dough to prevent it from rising.  The third difference was in the type of flour that I used, semolina (a very fine flour) as opposed to all purpose flour.  The final difference is that I baked the flatbread prior to adding the toppings.

There is a difference in toppings as well.  I used much less cheese than on a regular pizza and no sauce on the crust itself. Having grown up with the Americanized version of pizza, which has a thick soft crust and lots of sauce and cheese, this is a huge difference.  It allowed me to enjoy my pizza while fantasizing that it is actually "healthy for me".

For this pizza I used a small amount of Mozzarella and an Italian 3 Cheese Blend, along with some slices of fresh tomato and basil.  

I scattered these over the baked crust, placing the mozzarella first so that it would help the tomatoes and basil to adhere to the crust.

The final addition, before placing it back in the oven, are some thin slices of prosciutto.  I placed it back into the oven just long enough to melt the cheese and warm the toppings.

While the crust was baking the first time, I had tossed some asparagus in olive oil, salt and pepper, and placed it in the oven to roast.  It was removed along with the crust and allowed to cool a bit while the toppings were being warmed and melted.

This asparagus was scattered over the top and then I added some mixed baby greens to cover the entire thing.

The final touch was a drizzle of this Homemade Creamy Garlic Dressing.  Of course, you can use any toppings and dressings that you would like but this combination was truly amazing!

One Flatbread was the perfect amount for dinner for the two of us.   There is enough dough in the recipe for 2 large or 4 small flatbreads.  You can adjust your topping accordingly should you be making enough flatbread for 4 persons.  This recipe would also make a perfect appetizer for up to eight people.

Please stop by and see what Flatbreads the others are sharing.  You will find links to those at the bottom of this post.  I, personally, can't wait to see them.

Creamy Garlic Flatbread Pizza

Flatbread:

recipe adapted from Delallo

4 c. semolina flour

1/2 t. active dry yeast

2 t. salt

1 1/2 c. lukewarm water (105*)

Combine all ingredients in the large bowl of a stand mixer.  Whisk together with a fork, then place on the stand. Attach the dough hook and knead at medium speed for 5-10 minutes, until dough comes together into a ball and is soft and smooth.  You can add more flour, a Tablespoon at a time, if necessary until the ball forms.  

Cover dough with a warm, damp towel and allow to rise for a couple of hours, until doubled in size.

Divide the dough into 2 or 4 equal pieces.  Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough out on a floured surface, as thinly as possible.  Transfer to a baking stone or baking sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal to prevent sticking.  

Using a fork, pierce holes all over the dough, to prevent rising.  Bake the dough in a preheated 450* oven for about 10 minutes, until brown and crisp.

Toppings:

for 1 flatbread (using half the dough)

12 stalks of asparagus, roasted

4 oz. Mozzarella Cheese, cut into slices

1/4 c. Parmesan/Asiago/Romano cheese blend, shredded

1 tomato, thinly sliced

5 basil leaves, cut into thin slices

4 thin slices Prosciutto

Mixed Baby Greens

Creamy Garlic Dressing to taste (my homemade recipe)

Sprinkle the Mozzarella over the baked flatbread.  Arrange the tomatoes over the Mozzarella and sprinkle with the basil and shredded cheese blend. Place the Prosciutto over all.  Return to the hot oven (450*) for a few minutes, just until the cheese is melted and the toppings are warmed through.

Remove from oven and place onto a serving platter, I used my pizza peel.  Arrange the roasted asparagus over the flatbread, top with a couple of handfuls of mixed greens and drizzle with the Creamy Garlic Dressing.  Print Recipe

More Flat Breads

• Amritsari Paneer Kulcha - Indian Flat Bread from Sonlicious
• Bacon Leek Flamiche from Food Lust People Love
• Chole Kulche Delhi Style from The Mad Scientist's Kitchen
• Creamy Garlic Flatbread Pizza from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Detroit-Style Pepperoni Pizza from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Foccacia Bread from Cook with Renu
• Garlic Naan Bread from Palatable Pastime
• Manakish Za’atar from Herbivore Cucina
• Methi Naan from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Naan from Ambrosia
• Nángbĭng from A Shaggy Dough Story
• Quick Beer Crust Pizza from Cook’s Hideout
• Sourdough Flatbread from Sneha's Recipe
• Yemeni Malooga Bread from Gayathri's Cook Spot

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

Shrimp Prosciutto and Mushroom Pizza for #NationalPizzaMonth #MadeinFrance

October is a great month!  The weather cools.  The foliage turns into a kaleidoscope of colors.  The houses get all decked out for All Hallow's Eve. The kids are all running around giddy excited.  There is candy and chocolate and goodies galore.

And then to make this month even more fantabulous......It is National Pizza Month!!  Those who know me, know that there is no food that I love more than Pizza.  It beats out chocolate and cookies. It beats out pasta and potatoes.  It beats out steak and lobster.  Not that I don't  love all those foods too but.....C'mon....it's PIZZA!!

Our friend, Colleen of The Redhead Baker feels that same as I about pizza so she decided to throw a party and invite all of us like-minded bloggers to bring a pizza to the bash.  

I made up a batch of homemade pizza dough.  This recipe makes enough for 2 pizzas if you are serving a family.  I used half for our pizza, since it is just me and Frank, and put the other half into the refrigerator to turn into garlic knots to serve with dinner another night.

I sauteed up some mushrooms and onions to add to the pizza.  I like precooking my mushrooms and onions first.  I think the flavor is better.  I'm not a huge raw mushroom and onion person and it doesn't have quite enough time to get cooked to my liking in the 10 minute baking time.

I always try to add some greens to my pizza.  It is a great way to sneak in some extra nutrition and it helps to alleviate some of the guilt of this guilty pleasure of mine.  I had some baby kale in the refrigerator but any tender greens will work.  If you have adult greens, sauté them up first with the mushrooms and onions.

Then I sprinkled on the Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses, layered several slice of prosciutto on top and covered the entire pizza with 12 large shrimp before popping it into a hot oven. 

While the pizza baked I went into the wine fridge and pulled out this bottle Touraine Sauvignon Blanc from Paul Buisse.  This wine was provided to me from Whole Foods as part of their #MadeinFrance event.  You can learn more about this event in this post or by searching #MadeinFrance on any social media platform.  

While this wine was provided as a sample all opinions in this blog are strictly my own.  This wine is clear, bright and crisp.  Coming from the Loire Valley it pairs well with fresh water fish but I thought it could stand up well to the shrimp and prosciutto on this pizza.  I was right and I was happy that I made this choice.

My pizza didn't want to come off the peel very easily.  Make sure you put down a nice layer of cornmeal on the peel under the pizza dough before you add the toppings. I use a pizza stone and wooden peel when I make pizza.  If you don't have or don't use a pizza stone you can just form this pizza right onto a baking sheet.

As you can see, my pizza is a little misshapen but it tasted absolutely marvelous.  I added additional mushrooms and onions to the top of this pizza when I decided to only make one pie instead of two.

The buttery flavor of the Sauvignon was perfect with the shrimp.  The crispness of the wine helped cut the richness of the cheese and prosciutto.  It was a wonderful dinner.

I can't wait to see what all the others are sharing with us today.  I am excited to have new pizzas to try each month.  You will find links to the recipes right underneath mine.  Pizza anyone??

Shrimp Prosciutto and Mushroom Pizza

1 recipe pizza dough, homemade, store bought or your favorite recipe

1/4 c. pizza sauce, or to taste

5 oz. sliced mushrooms

1/2 small onion, sliced

2 t. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 handfuls of baby kale

1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese

4 slices prosciutto

12 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Heat the olive oil in a skillet. Add the mushrooms and onions. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Roll your dough into a round or square to your desired thickness.  Spread the pizza sauce over the dough, leaving a 1" border.  Sprinkle the mushrooms and onions over the sauce and top with the kale, covering the mushrooms and onions.

Sprinkle the cheese over all and then add a layer of the prosciutto topped with the shrimp.  Bake in a preheated 500* oven for about 10 minutes, until shrimp is pink, cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown.  Print Recipe

More recipes to celebrate #National Pizza Day

• Buffalo Chicken Naan Bread Pizza by The Freshman Cook 
• Italian Beef Pizza by Cooking With Carlee 
• Margherita Pizza by Making Miracles 
• Mediterranean Flatbread Pizza by Everyday Eileen 
• Pizza with shaved brussels sprouts and bacon by Simple and Savory
• Potato and Leek Pizza by Karen's Kitchen Stories 
• Shrimp Prosciutto and Mushroom Pizza by A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Spinach, Pancetta and Fontina Pizza by The Redhead Baker 
• Stovetop Skillet Pizzas by Culinary Adventures with Camilla 
• White Pizza Mini Tarts by Take Two Tapas
• World Series Tortilla Pizza by Amy's Cooking Adventures