Artichoke Tomato Pesto Flatbread Recipe

It's safe to say that bread-based dishes with toppings are a strong win for most people. The combination of bread, whether it's soft, chewy, or crispy, adorned with flavorful toppings is a fun and delicious eating experience and the variations are endless. Pizza, bruschetta, and open-faced sandwiches are up there when it comes to fan favorites, but flatbread with creative toppings might be the best of all. This recipe is easy to throw together, highly customizable, and can be served as an appetizer or main dish.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe for artichoke tomato pesto flatbread and says, "The Mediterranean flavors in this recipe are spot on. We've got the briny artichokes, fresh tomatoes, fresh herbs, and lemon that come together in a light olive oil marinade. You can make your own flatbread, or use store-bought to speed things up." Read on to learn how to make this light but satisfying appetizer or meal.

This flatbread is full of fresh ingredients, so you can start in the produce aisle and pick up some grape tomatoes, red onion, fresh dill, fresh basil, lemon, garlic, and arugula.

For the flatbread base, you'll need all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, and cornmeal. "If you want to save the step of making the flatbread, pick up a pre-made version. You can also make individual flatbreads by using the smaller size," Hahn shares.

Then a few last ingredients to round out the pesto and toppings — artichoke hearts (packed in water), red wine vinegar, walnuts, and nutritional yeast.

Preheat the oven to 475 F.

Add the flour and 1 teaspoon salt to a food processor and pulse to combine.

Now add 1 cup warm water and 3 tablespoons of oil and blend until it forms into a ball.

Knead the dough on a floured board for one minute.

Roll out the dough into a long rectangle shape or 2 smaller pieces.

Place the flatbread on the baking sheet that's been sprinkled with cornmeal, poke with a fork in several places, and bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown.

In a large bowl combine the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and red onion with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, red wine vinegar, dill, ½ teaspoon of salt, and the pepper.

To make the pesto, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, basil, lemon juice, garlic, walnuts, nutritional yeast, and remaining salt in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Spread a thin layer of the pesto on the baked flatbread.

Top the pesto with the artichoke mixture and bake for 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven, top with arugula, slice, and serve. Add extra dill if desired.

There are many ways to tailor the flatbread to your personal tastes and preferences. We're using a freshly made pesto as the base. While basil is traditional, you can experiment with other herbs and greens like parsley, cilantro, arugula, or a combination of herbs for a unique flavor profile. Swap out walnuts for pine nuts, almonds, pecans, or even sunflower seeds. Each nut or seed will bring a different texture and flavor to the pesto. If you're not trying to keep the recipe plant-based, instead of the nutritional yeast you can add Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or another hard cheese to enhance the savory and umami flavors.

For the toppings, you can throw in or substitute vegetables like bell peppers, cucumbers, or olives for extra crunch and flavor. Add fresh herbs such as basil, mint, or parsley to enhance the overall bright freshness of the dish. Introduce sun-dried tomatoes for a concentrated and sweet tomato flavor. You could also top the vegetables with a handful of crumbled feta or goat cheese before baking.

For a burst of citrus flavor, consider adding the zest of a lemon or lime to the cooked flatbread to brighten up the dish. You can also drizzle a balsamic glaze over the mixture for a sweet and tangy element.

If you are serving the flatbread as a main course, consider pairing it with a warm bowl of soup. The sweet and smoky flavors of red pepper soup would complement the pesto as well as the artichoke and tomato on the flatbread. A classic tomato basil soup or a tomato squash soup would bring out the tomato flavors in the flatbread and provide a comforting and flavorful pairing. Lentil soup, especially one with Middle Eastern spices like cumin and turmeric, would be a flavorful and protein-rich option.

If you are combining the flatbread with other appetizers, hummus served with pita bread, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, and cherry tomatoes is a nice pairing. Mozzarella caprese skewers using cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil, and drizzled with balsamic glaze would make wonderful accompaniments for the flatbread. A charcuterie board offering a variety of cheeses (goat cheese, feta, etc.), cured meats, nuts, and dried fruits would also work well alongside the flatbread.