Rosemary & Garlic Oil Flatbread

it must hv been more than two years since i last baked bread. even after i got my kitchenaid more than a year ago, i haven't started on using the dough hook yet. i wished i had used it sooner to knead dough coz it was such a breeze to do so. kitchenaid has been my best kitchen investment so far, followed by the immersion hand blender :p those two really made my life alot easier. and so, i came across this from donna hay magazine and the recipe looked real enticing. the thought of dipping the flatbread in olive oil & balsamic vinegar got me drooling. moreover, the recipe looked simple enough to follow (not that i'm intimidated by complicated recipes heh), just that i don't wanna spend time proofing the dough for 2 hours. this one only requires 30 mins of proofing.

i separated the dough into two portions and made a chilli & anchovy version as well. doesn't look like a flatbread i know. becoz i haven't been baking bread for such a long time, i forgot the dough will rise even more after baking. i should hv placed a thinner portion of the dough in the tin. silly me. tastewise quite good, tho' i was pretty skeptical at 1st since the recipe uses plain flour instead of bread flour. texture wise it reminds me of the pan pizza's base so i think it will work just as well for pizza.

oh, and i love anchovies! not cheap but extremely tasty & savory ;)

recipe source : donna hay magazine, issue 34

ingredients (serves 6) :

2 tsps active dry yeast

1 tsp caster sugar

1 1/3 cup lukewarm milk

2 1/2 cups plain flour

1 tsp table salt

1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing

sea salt

for the rosemary & garlic oil variation :

1 qty basic dough (above)

3 tbsps olive oil

1/4 cup rosemary leaves

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup finely grated parmesan cheese

sea salt

for the chilli & anchovy variation :

1 qty basic dough

olive oil for brushing

1/2 cup (85g) pitted black olives

10 anchovy fillets

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp thyme leaves

directions :

1. place the yeast, sugar & milk in a bowl and mix to combine. set aside in a warm place for 5 mins or until bubbles appear on the surface.

2. place the flour, salt, oil & yeast mixture in a bowl and mix until a smooth dough forms. knead on a lightly floured surface or a standmixer fitted with a dough hook for 5 mins or until smooth & elastic.

3. place dough in an well-oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place for 30 mins or until doubled in size. punch dough down to release air. press dough in baking tray, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt & bake in a preheated oven of 180C for 15 mins or until golden.

4. to make the rosemary & garlic variation, place oil, rosemary & garlic in a small bowl and let stand for 10-15 mins. press dough into a 25cm (10 inch) lightly greased baking tray and brush with olive oil mixture and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

5. bake in a preheated oven of 180C for 15-20 mins or until golden.

6. to make the chilli & anchovy variation, press dough into a 26cm round lightly greased baking tray, brush with oil and top with olives, anchovies, chilli flakes & thyme. bake in a preheated oven of 180C for 20 mins or until golden.