2323. BEET, BACON and HERBED GOAT CHEESE FLATBREAD

yields 1 flatbread


1 red beet or 2 to 3 baby beets
1 yellow beet or 2 to 3 baby beets
1/2 cup goat cheese
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
pizza dough
flour
olive oil, for brushing
1/4 cup arugula
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 pound bacon (4 slices), cooked crisp

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and roast in the oven until the beets are tender and a paring knife inserted in the center is met with no resistance, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once cooked, set aside until they are cool enough to handle. Then, using a paper towel, rub the skin off the beets and then cut into moons or dice.

Mix the goat cheese with the rosemary and thyme until combined and set aside.

Gather up the rest of the ingredients and have them at the ready before you grill your bread.

Preheat a cast-iron grill pan, or a grill, to medium-high heat. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and stretch and press with your hands to form a thin, rectangular shape. If you need to, pick up the dough and let the natural weight of the dough stretch itself out. It doesn't need to be perfect,matter of fact it is better when it's not. Once you have the dough in the shape you like, brush one side of the dough with olive oil and lay that side down flat onto the preheated grill. Cook the dough until it is charred and has a crisp texture, about 5 minutes, brush the other side with some oil and then flip the dough and char the second side. Once the bread is charred and cooked, remove it from the grill and assemble the flatbread.

Spread the herbed goat cheese onto the flatbread. Toss the arugula with some lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and then place it on the flatbread. Top with sliced beets and crispy bacon and another drizzle of olive oil. Cut the flatbread and serve.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Kelsey Nixon, "Pizza and Flatbreads," Kelsey's Essentials, Cooking Channel