Bacony Pear And Brie Winter Flatbread Recipe

Recipe developer Katie Rosenhouse brings us this winter-inspired flatbread as a celebration of seasonal flavors, with a combination of ingredients and textures that makes it impossible to resist. Sweet, salty, crisp, and tender, this flatbread makes for a sophisticated dish that's great for serving any time of day. 

You'll start by making a simple flatbread dough (made with just six ingredients, including a hint of honey) — this step can also be done up to 24 hours in advance, so all that's left to do is assemble and bake before serving. The baked dough is topped with fig jam and thinly sliced pear for sweetness, creamy Brie, and a salty kick from crisped bacon. A hot oven caramelizes the jam and crisps the edges of the homemade flatbread dough, melts the cheese, and marries all the flavors together. A drizzle of balsamic for acidity and a sprinkling of fresh arugula add a final touch. You can serve this unique flatbread as an appetizer, light lunch, or dinner side dish.

If you're new to making bread at home, this flatbread couldn't be easier to pull together. The dough calls for a quick mix of instant yeast, bread (or all-purpose) flour, salt, honey (or granulated sugar), olive oil, and water. The choice of bread or all-purpose flour, honey or granulated sugar is up to you and what you have on hand. While the bread flour adds a bit of extra chew with its high protein content, and the honey a mild floral note, the differences are slight enough that you shouldn't feel the need to make an extra trip to the store. 

The flatbread is baked until browned in spots, and topped with fig jam, thinly sliced pear, Brie cheese, and crisped bacon. A final sprinkling of arugula helps provide some freshness and color, and you can optionally drizzle on some balsamic glaze as a final garnish.

In a medium bowl, mix to combine yeast, flour, and salt.

Add honey, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and ⅔ cup lukewarm water; stir to combine.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface.

Knead until smooth and supple, 6 to 8 minutes.

Transfer to a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Set aside to rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.

Cook bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until crisp and browned, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Drain the bacon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and roll to about a 14x8-inch rectangle or oval.

Transfer dough to a parchment-lined or greased baking sheet.

Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

Bake the flatbread for 8 to 10 minutes until browned in spots.

Use a mandoline or chef's knife to thinly slice the pear, about ⅛-inch thick.

Cut the Brie into thin slices.

Spread fig jam over warm flatbread, leaving a clean border along the edges.

Top evenly with Brie and fanned slices of pear.

Sprinkle with bacon.

Bake until browned and the cheese is melted, 14 to 16 minutes.

Top with arugula and balsamic, if using. Serve warm.

By playing with ingredients and flavors, this flatbread can be changed up to highlight the best produce of each season. In spring, consider swapping the Brie with ricotta, feta, or goat cheese, the pear with fresh berries (and jam to match), and garnishing with fresh herbs in the place of the arugula for an aromatic touch. To showcase ripe stone fruits of summer, opt for sliced peaches, apricots, or halved cherries, paired with a thin layer of jam or drizzle of honey, burrata, and prosciutto.

In fall months, roasted butternut squash or thinly-sliced apples can be used in place of the pears, with a drizzle of maple syrup and a garnish of spiced pumpkin seeds in the place of the bacon, if desired. And once you've made this in winter, there's no reason not to make it again. Play with roasted beets, citrus fruits, cranberries, caramelized onions, or really anything you have on hand.

Generally speaking, regardless of season, feel free to substitute the fig jam with other preferred flavors, like apple butter, cherry jam, or orange marmalade. You can swap the Brie with any cheese you love, including goat cheese, fontina, mozzarella, or Camembert. The bacon can be substituted with turkey bacon, prosciutto, or crispy fried shallots. If using balsamic vinegar, consider simmering it on the stovetop until thickened for a syrupy glaze.

Serving this as a party appetizer or weeknight meal and want to get ahead of the prep? This flatbread can be prepared in advance in a few different ways. The flatbread dough can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead, and refrigerated until you're ready to roll it out. You can also prebake the flatbread and have it ready to go, at room temperature for up to two days, or in the freezer for up to one month. Then top, bake, and serve when needed.

To have the toppings ready to sprinkle on at the last minute, store the cooked bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to one day ahead. Slice the pears, toss with lemon juice to prevent browning, and store, covered, up to 12 hours in advance.

You can also bake the flatbread, top with Brie, pears, and bacon, and refrigerate, covered, early on the day of serving. Bring to room temperature before baking and garnishing as directed before serving.