Eggplant and Spicy Hummus Flatbread
- 1/4 cup cooked chickpeas, preferably homemade (page 47), rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing dough
- 1 teaspoon fleur de sel or other flaky sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pimenton (smoked Spanish paprika)
- 1 small (5-to 6-ounce) Italian eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1 teaspoon zaatar spice (or substitute mixed Italian herbs)
- 1 (3-ounce) ball No-Knead Pizza Dough with Spelt (page 105), or one round of your favorite store-bought pita or other flatbread
- 1/2 cup Spicy Hummus (page 5)
- 1/4 cup Citrus-Pickled Onions (page 19) (optional)
- Preheat the broiler with the rack set 4 to 5 inches from the flame or element.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
- Spread the chickpeas on a paper towel on your countertop and lay another paper towel on top.
- Pat the chickpeas until very dry.
- Line a plate with paper towels.
- Pour 1/2 cup of the oil into a small skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the oil starts to shimmer, scatter in the chickpeas, being careful to avoid splatters.
- Fry the chickpeas until they darken and become crispy, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Transfer them with a slotted spoon to the prepared plate.
- Immediately sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and all of the pimenton.
- Strain the oil and save it for another use.
- Lay the eggplant slices on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and all of the zaatar spice.
- Broil until browned and tender, 3 to 4 minutes, rotating the baking sheet if necessary to evenly cook the eggplant.
- Transfer to a plate to cool.
- If youre making flatbread from the pizza dough, set the ball of dough in the middle of a piece of parchment at least 7 inches square or round.
- Press or stretch the dough into a 5- to 6-inch round, using a rolling pin if necessary.
- You want an evenly flat disk, so dont worry about trying to keep the edge thicker as with pizza.
- Set a large cast-iron skillet fitted with a lid over high heat.
- Brush oil generously on top of the dough.
- Lift the parchment paper and dough carefully and flip the dough into the skillet so the oiled side is down.
- Quickly peel off the parchment from the top of the dough, and then brush the dough with oil, cover, and turn the heat down to medium.
- After about 1 minute, remove the lid and use tongs or a large spatula to flip the disk over.
- It will have puffed up in places, darkened in others.
- Continue cooking, uncovered, for another minute or two, until the dough is spotted brown, puffy, and cooked through.
- Transfer to a plate.
- (If youre using pita or other store-bought flatbread, brush it with olive oil on both sides and heat it in the skillet, uncovered, for a minute or two on each side.
- Then transfer to a plate.)
- Spread the hummus on one side of the flatbread, then lay the eggplant slices on top.
- Scatter the fried chickpeas and pickled onions over the eggplant, and fold the flatbread in half around the filling.
- Cut it into two pieces, and eat.
chickpeas, extravirgin olive oil, salt, paprika, italian eggplant, zaatar spice, noknead pizza dough, onions
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/eggplant-and-spicy-hummus-flatbread-382551 (may not work)