Recipe: Spiced Pumpkin-Seed Flatbread

Cookbook

Spiced Pumpkin-Seed Flatbread

Makes about 50 flat-bread wedges.

Spiced Pumpkin-Seed Flatbread 1 cup lukewarm water
   (about 100 degrees F.)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon pure chile powder
   (preferably red New Mexican)
1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup hulled green pumpkin seeds
   (about 5 ounces)
1 large egg
2 tablespoons cold water
Kosher salt for sprinkling

In a large bowl stir together lukewarm water, sugar, and yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Cut butter into bits and stir into yeast mixture with flour, cornmeal, chile powder, and table salt, stirring until mixture just forms a dough. On a lightly floured surface knead dough until smooth and butter is incorporated, about 5 minutes. Form dough into a ball and put in a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to coat. Chill dough, covered with plastic wrap, 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. And lightly flour 2 large baking sheets.

Chop pumpkin seeds. (The finer they are chopped, the thinner the flatbread will be.) In a small bowl with a fork beat together egg and cold water until combined well to make an egg wash. Divide dough in half and chill one halt, covered. On a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out remaining half of dough into an 1/8 -inch-thick rough oval and sprinkle with half of pumpkin seeds. With rolling pin press seeds into dough and roll dough as thin as possible. Brush dough with some egg wash and cut into irregular long thin wedges (about 6 by 1 inch). With a spatula transfer wedges to baking sheets and sprinkle with kosher salt to taste.

Bake wedges in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes total, and transfer to racks to cool. Make more flatbread wedges in same manner with chilled dough. Flatbread wedges may he made 3 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Buy the Book!

Best of Gourmet
Featuring the Flavors of Spain
By The Editors of Gourmet
Random House, June 1999
Hardback, $35.00
ISBN: 0-375-50296-3
Recipe Reprinted by permission.