Roasted Butternut Squash Flatbread Recipe

Flatbreads are quick and easy to prepare, making them perfect for casual gatherings, parties, or even weeknight dinners when you want a delicious meal without spending too much time in the kitchen. They can be cut into slices or small pieces, making them ideal for sharing among a group. They're perfect for appetizers, party platters, or as finger food. 

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for roasted butternut squash flatbread and says, "With this yeast-free method of making flatbread there is just a short waiting time for the dough to be ready and you can make this up to two days in advance. If you decide to buy premade flatbread you can skip to the roasting step for an even quicker meal." 

To make this recipe, you'll need some kitchen staples like butter, milk, all-purpose flour, salt, and oil. "You can use any type of butter and milk, so it's easy to make this recipe dairy-free," Hahn shares. 

Then from the produce aisle grab some butternut squash, red onion, and arugula. "I typically buy my squash precut since it's available that way at most grocery stores and is so much easier. If I am gathering ingredients for this a few days ahead of time however, I'll purchase a whole squash because the pre-cut versions don't last very long," Hahn explains. Lastly, you'll need some maple syrup and feta cheese, and the dairy-free version of feta works fine also.

First things first, preheat the oven to 400 F. Then pull out a medium pot, add the butter and milk and cook on medium heat until the butter melts. Now, in a medium bowl combine the flour and salt and then add the milk and butter mixture. Stir this with a wooden spoon until a rough dough forms, then remove it from the bowl and knead the dough for two minutes on a floured board. Then put the dough into a glass bowl, cover and let it rest for 30 minutes. "I love this simple recipe because there is no need to get out the stand mixture, you can knead it by hand just fine," Hahn shares.

Put the cubed squash and sliced onion into a large bowl and toss with the maple syrup and salt. "The maple syrup will add a caramelized coating on the squash and pairs so nicely with the other ingredients," Hahn remarks. Once the squash and onions are coated in the syrup, transfer them to a baking sheet and pop them into the oven for 30 minutes. You'll want to stir this halfway to make sure that the underside gets a little charred as well as the top.

When the dough has rested remove it from the bowl and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball, then using a rolling pin, flatten each one into a 6- to 8-inch circle. "If you prefer an oval shape, do that. There is no reason they have to be a circle," Hahn shares. 

Add 1 teaspoon of oil to a frying pan and heat to medium heat. Add your flattened dough to the pan and cook for two minutes on each side. "The first couple may take a few minutes longer as the pan heats up, so keep that in mind. You are looking for brown spots on each side of the flatbread," Hahn explains. Repeat with the remaining dough adding additional oil to the frying pan as needed.

Now that the flatbread and vegetables are done, you can go ahead and assemble them. Start by adding the roasted squash and onions, then sprinkle with fresh arugula and feta cheese. Serve them right away while they are still warm. 

"If you are serving these as an appetizer you can use a pizza cutter to slice them into smaller pieces," Hahn suggests. If you have leftovers you can store them in an air-tight container in the fridge and warm them up in the oven or microwave but Hahn recommends storing the components separately for best results.