crisp rosemary flatbread
It took me until I was on some interminable wait on the phone last week with hold music so awful, they had to have done it on purpose, to finally get to flipping through the July 2008 Gourmet magazine. And if there were ever a spread that could lift you from your “love lifts us up where we belong” drudgery, it would be that gorgeous herb-focused spread near the back of the issue. (Like I said, it was a long hold time.)
I immediately had to make it. All of it. And I can see I am not the only one. But to start, let’s talk about this recipe, something I think everyone in the entire world should have in their repertoire: Flatbread.
More cracker than bread, this stuff is dreamy. It comes together in about 15 seconds flat, bakes in about 10 minutes and if you don’t live in our apartment, will hopefully last a bit longer. It’s the perfect thing to scoop any summer salad or vegetable dish, including the one I’ll tell you about tomorrow (tease!). I also think it could be a great hostess gift, for all of you angling for invites to beach houses this Labor Day weekend. If you arrived at mine with this, a wedge of cheese and a bottle of wine, I’d never let you leave.
If only I actually had a beach house. I’ll get right on that.
Crisp Rosemary Flatbread
Gourmet, July 2008
Nothing could be easier than making this cracker, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t tell people you slaved all day over it because they’re going to be impressed, really impressed, and I see no reason not to milk it.
I think you could easily swap the rosemary for other herbs, such as thyme or tarragon, or punch it up with black pepper or other spices, but personally, I like it just the way it is here.
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary plus 2 (6-inch) sprigs
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil plus more for brushing
Flaky sea salt such as Maldon
Preheat oven to 450°F with a heavy baking sheet on rack in middle.
Stir together flour, chopped rosemary, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in center, then add water and oil and gradually stir into flour with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Knead dough gently on a work surface 4 or 5 times.
Divide dough into 3 pieces and roll out 1 piece (keep remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap) on a sheet of parchment paper into a 10-inch round (shape can be rustic; dough should be thin).
Lightly brush top with additional oil and scatter small clusters of rosemary leaves on top, pressing in slightly. Sprinkle with sea salt. Slide round (still on parchment) onto preheated baking sheet and bake until pale golden and browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer flatbread (discard parchment) to a rack to cool, then make 2 more rounds (1 at a time) on fresh parchment (do not oil or salt until just before baking). Break into pieces.
Flatbread can be made 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
I’ve never made flatbread at home before, but you have such a lovely knack for finding recipes that are both completely tempting and seem very approachable. I look at that ingredient list and find myself thinking “yes indeed, why HAVEN’T I made flatbread?”
The hubby and I are having a friday night in tonight, so perhaps I’ll raid my hearty fire-escape rosemary plant and attempt some flatbread.
Delicious! I love flatbreads with salads.
That issue of Gourmet was one of the best EVER…and I, too, have made most everything in the section on herbs, including this flatbread! I used white whole wheat flour…it was *so* delicious! Can’t wait to see what you used yours to scoop up. :)
Yessssssss … I knew I held onto that fresh rosemary for some meaningful purpose. Delicious homemade flatbread, here I come! :-D
Do you have any suggestions about switching to whole wheat flour? Maybe half and half?
Ooh! I was looking for something to make for tonight for the bf and myself. Told him I would be slaving all day - hah, ten minutes should do it! And I looooove rosemary :o)
You know…? You’re just charming. Here’s a suggestion to help save sanity..buy a home phone that has a speaker on it and then you can do other meaninful tasks while the speaker plays those ‘old tunes’.. when the customer service/tech rep (I’m guessing here) answers, you can pick up your phone to have the conversation.
Wow I can’t believe I have made a recipe BEFORE you! I made this a month or so ago after it first was published. I brought it to a family gathering and it disappeared in literally 15 minutes– the whole batch! Like Amy, I used white whole wheat flour and it was delicious. I also was a little short on the fresh rosemary so I added some fresh oregano too and it was a good choice. My pizza stone worked really well too, since I found myself without any parchment paper. This is definitely an excellent, simple recipe to have around.
Yes yes….the issue made me swoon and I went outside and raided the basil to make a basil parmesan version that was delightful and like that god awful movie….gone in 60 seconds.
But oh so worth it…..
I’m going to go buy this magazine the moment I get off work… flatbreads with dinner tonight! Whoo!
I wonder if you could make this on a pizza stone?
Hmmm, I think this goes perfectly with what we’re having for dinner tonight. I don’t know what that dinner will be, but it will go with flatbread no matter what, because this sounds so yummy and easy. Though I may do different herbs, since I have a sneaking suspicion that I don’t have any rosemary.
I miss getting Gourmet :(
I’ve only made flatbread once before, but anything with rosemary must be added to my to-make-as-soon-as-possible list, so I guess I’ll be trying this soon!
MMMMMMM looks delicious! I love flatbread but I never even thought about making it myself. This is definitely getting bookmarked and tried out next week (after I go to the grocery store again).
I imagine you can roll this out larger and cut it into rectangles or any shape..right?
Would be fun during the holidays to cut into shapes, that is, if you can.
Oh dear me! I was just out in the garden, frankly a little PO’d that EVERYTHING I PLANTED SUCKS, except for the lovely rosemary and a little basil. Perfect use for my rosemary friends! And yes, I am angling for that Labor Day invite to the Maine beach house! Cheese? check. Wine? check. Flatbread? need to bake!
You know, I really love a good flatbread. When I lived in Italy and was pathetically broke, I came up with an easy (and cheap) recipe for an herbed, crisp flatbread that my roommates and I lived on. We were at culinary school over there and one of them is now a professional chef, but she recently called me saying she was craving that bread i used to make. I love your version! I think I will definitely try it out.
Sounds delicious! I’ll have to give it a try - thanks!
That’s a beautiful looking flatbread! I’ve wanted to do something similar for a while, but I keep saying later, later….now with a great looking recipe, I have no excuse to keep postponing it
I’m with you Kiki. My herbs were awful this year! Often times I had to buy them at the market.
I’ve been making this recipe since the magazine came out. Very easy and very good. I’ve taken to doing other flavorings as well. I’ve made garlic flatbread, black pepper flatbread, and curry flatbread. They all tasted great. Just substitute the 1 tbsp of rosemary in the bread with 1 tbsp of any flavoring. I’m going to try dill and basil (pesto?) next, also maybe onion.
BTW, I make mine on my pizza stone, works great!
I had to comment on this recipe. SO delicious, and it looks so easy! I have everything at home, and I’m making these babies tonight.
This is fantastic! You weren’t kidding when you said this was recipe was easy! I just whipped these beautiful flatbreads out in about 15 minutes. I’ve been a devoted fan of this site for quite some time now and this is exactly why (oh and not to mention the amazing photography and witty writing)!
I totally love a good flatbread. I only get it when we eat out and the restaurant has it. As much as I bake I have never thought to make it myself!! It could be dangerous to have in the house. I would eat it all! It would be the perfect base for fresh Lettuce Salads with vegies and a vinegar/oil dressing !! MMMMMMMMMMMMMM.
I’ll be giving this a try soon. Thanks for another to add to my folder of recipes!
Ya know, I actually just used fresh rosemary for the first time the other day. I was trying out my bread machine. Maybe I should use the rest on this!
I am going to a Cheese Club. I think these crackers would be the perfect contribution.
That sounds fabulous! I’m always looking for ways to incorporate rosemary into my cooking.
Does it have to be parchment paper? How about silpats?
So I made this for breakfast (yes, your photographs really are that tempting!) and it was DELISH! I sprinkled it with some grated parmigiano reggiano for an extra salty bite. I can’t believe I didn’t finish it all!
The bread looks delicious but I want that blue bowl. That’s GORGEOUS! I love the richness of the color and thickness of the glass. Please disclose where that was purchased. Thank you so much in advance.
My sis just made this on her tv/website show! She’s eating it now! You inspired her (Justopia) to make it and now I’m going to try the recipe tomorrow. My sis broadcasts live 5 nights a week!
I bet these would be good to make quick flatbread goat cheese pizzas. I love rosemary with goat cheese.
Hmmmm. I love rosemary - and I am addicted to Gourmet mag but have been away a lot and not cooking for various reasons. This inspires me.
i have a beach house come on over we will make a batch. how do you think it would be on the grill….
I adore rosemary and flat bread so will have to try this version. Saving up big time for the Maine house overlook the ocean, where it is nice and cool. A girl can dream, can’t she.
As Jane M commented above, I made the flat bread last night after checking in to read the blog and it was simple, quick and DEElicious! It took no time at all and was the perfect accompaniment to my dinner.
I think anyone that has an aversion to baking bread should start with this one. It requires no resting times and really no kneading like with yeast breads. I used black salt to top mine. It’s the only sea salt I have in the pantry right now and I like the way black salt looks on light food.
The Smitten Kitchen always inspires me!
Haha!! So sorry about the awful “hold music” - I’ve dealt with that as well, on the phone ;0)
I’m quite intimidated by baking bread, but you make it look so flawless and easy!!
Dear Brooklynbee. Yes, I have made this on a pizza stone, and to paraphrase Seinfeld “Yes, they’re real, and they were fantastic!â€
I like everyone else posted here really enjoy this blog, but can I suggest something. Those among us that have actually tried the recipes share their experiences. I would enjoy hearing about successes and failures – I find it would contribute to the collective Smitten Borg Mentality. I see people post questions but none seem to answer or care past seeing their names in lights. Let me be the first to repent.
I made this flatbread also and you’re right it is sooooo delicious. I served it as a starter with the goat cheese & olives from the same article and it was a real hit! Everyone begged for the recipe! I’ve made it twice since then….. Oh yeah…love the blog!
Made this soon after reading the blog entry, with items I had on hand. Added cilantro, crushed pistachios andslivered sundried tomatoes in oil to flatbread base recipe . Served up with cilantro and jalapeno hummus. I know, sounds like a lot of different flavors going on but it was delicious!!! Recipe really does seem to be a good base for most flavors. So easy with great results! Thanks for the inspiration!
Thank you for posting this - I’m allergic to yeast and fermented products (breads, wines, cheeses, beer, etc.) and finding bread alternatives for the carb lover that I am is very hard - especially things I can bake at home. I’ve added this recipe to my selection now to alleviate the boredom that is tortillas!!
Are you serious!? Something this … gourmet, (I mean it was out of Gourmet Magazine!) is that easy?!
I have amazing flatbread on my counter to prove it!
How can that be so easy?!
Thanks for posting this. And once again making something that seems so daunting and intermediate, so simple and such a yummy lunch! (Im having flatbread pizzas, with yard fresh toms and basil to impress the hubby boy)
MK
P.S. And yes, I did this on my pizza stone too. I still used parchment ..well wax paper as I didn’t know how to get the rolled dough from the surface to the stone otherwise. I figured out after to roll the dough ON the stone.
~She’s not that bright. But she’s cute! *Grins*
Yum…I keep saying that.
This takes me back to my childhood, whenever my mother would bake a pie with a savory crust. My brothers and sister and I would all crowd into the kitchen and hang out, waiting for the freshly baked salt crackers she’d make with the trimmings of the pie crust. *Sigh*
There’s something intoxicating about the smell of freshly baked pastry.
Try flake salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Or parma. reg. with cracked black pepper. Or chopped black olives, fresh oregano and some of those oven roasted tomatoes…
I usually use a store-bought flatbread to make all kind of pizzas at home. Thanks for making this look so easy - I will certainly have to make my own next time.
This was a great recipe! I changed the flour to whole grain organic and ate it with eggs(over medium) and i dont think you could get any better than that!
I am giving it a try with dried figs mixed into the dough and serve it with some cheese. This is going to be one of those recipes that you can adapt to whatever you need.
I made this today. It was so easy and so FAST, and so tasty too. I love this recipe. I didn’t have rosemary, so I used some dry tuscan herbs, added some thyme and infused a touch of garlic into oil. It was wonderful.
Tip: The dough is very moist with oil, (it keeps it from being sticky) I covered my rolling pin with several revolutions of plastic wrap and it rolled out beautifully. I did need to roll against the flap side of the plastic wrap, so it wouldn’t unroll, no problem there either. I did this to keep the garlic and herb flavors from getting residue on my rolling pin since I don’t wash my pin. (as I was told not to do by all the family bakers ready with their advice!) I wouldn’t want those flavors cropping up in my dessert pastries in the event I couldn’t wipe all the residue off.
@Jenifer from Houston: I have a blue glass bowl like that and I got mine at Cost Plus, which I believe is called “Cost Plus World Market” in Texas. I know there’s one in Austin so there should be one in Houston.
Off to make me some rosemary flatbread now!
Looks good and easy. Too bad I’m not at home, where we have a huge rosemary bush. But I have a pretty exciting/daunting task ahead of me: stocking my very own kitchen! And unlike most college kids, ramen and Easy Mac aren’t on the shopping list…
Ooo, this reminds me of the homemade herb crackers I made awhile back. I love rosemary in bread products!!
http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2008/02/19/artisan-herb-crackers/
Just an aside for all of you herb-growing-challenged readers, my 92-yr-old grandmother (who is NEVER wrong, I might add) has often said that “…only a bitch can grow rosemary!” I don’t know where this old wive’s tale comes from, but I believe it must be true since both my grandmother and I have absolutely gorgeous, flourishing rosemary bushes all over our gardens!!
p.s. I have old friends visiting tomorrow and I hope to whip up some yummy flatbreads before they arrive.
oh LORD this is amazing. Some of my less-than-sane friends organize a food challenge dinner where they pick one ingredient and assign courses to each couple (and me, solo… sigh) and you have to incorporate said ingredient, with some very fascinating combos - you try putting pork in a dessert. (chocolate caramels with a hunk of bacon in the middle - actually really good) So this time we’re challenged with nectarines and I was going to make a nectarine salsa with cilantro but I have all this gorgeous basil on the deck. So I swapped the rosemary for basil and added a bit of honey to pair with the nectarine-basil salsa. It’s so good I ate the whole first cracker when it came out of the oven and realized I needed to make a second batch. Thanks for sharing Deb!
wow, nice flat bread… I do make flat breads but only plain… mixing it with herbs such a good idea.. thanks for the post… such an inspiration.
YUM!
I am making this tonight to take to Sunday dinner. I can’t wait to get reviews from the family. I plan to stop by the market to get an assortment of cheeses. Oh boy! I’m really excited about this flatbread and some good red wine. Divine!
This is my kind of recipe! I’ll be making this today. And I agree with everyone who has said, just add cheese and a bottle of wine!
MMM, looks delicious. I’m a huge flatbread fan, I have some red-lentil dal in the fridge that would be great with some flatbread!
Just made the flatbread, but mine did not come out ‘cracker crisp’. What did I do wrong? I followed the directions exactly!
Perhaps some additional baking time would have helped? Was it browned when you took it out? Ovens vary so much, it’s my first thought.
To Deb: It was brown around the edges. Maybe I didn’t roll it thin enough. I’ll give it another try soon!
I am such a rosemary junkie, I think I have to try it - it seems so completely approachable.
I love rosemary… <3
You’re more than welcome to come up to my country house if you bring this along with that eggplant dealie and some cheese! ;-)
This looks amazing! I’ll have to try this one. : )
So I DID make these last Friday, and they were delicious. This recipe is a going to be a regular in our house. Solves the age-old question, “What do we smear our goat cheese on?” Is that not the age-old question? Must just be me.
I made these yesterday to bring to a family dinner to go along with smoked trout pate. They are phenomenal and impressed the heck out of everyone. The key to these being nice and crispy is making sure the baking sheet is HOT before putting the dough on it. A definite keeper! Thanks, Deb! I love your site! :)
I made this yesterday and thought it was really good, and just as easy as promised. It was a spur of the moment thing, so I didn’t have any appropriate fresh herbs. Instead, I heated the oil with some dried herbs before adding it to the dough. Also, I forgot to brush the rolled dough with oil and sprinkle with salt, and I only just saw that I was supposed to preheat the baking sheet. So apparently, next time the crackers will be even better, which will be fun.
I don’t have parchment. What else should I use? Or what else can I do?
Thanks!
I can almost smell them from here. They look divine and so very simple. Can’t wait to make them. Thank you for the inspiration. I have been reading your blog for a few months and you have been very inspiring. Happy Cooking!
I think it’s fate that I came across this today! I’ve been in love with some flatbread that I got at the grocery store, and I was just thinking about how I’d love to make it at home. Yea!
It’s funny, because I was just wondering this weekend if there are any recipes out there for crackers. This comes pretty darn close. Thanks!
Deb, I made the Rosemary Flatbread today on my gas grill! YUM! I oiled both sides as well as oiled the grill grates and made 6 crackers for easier transfer to the grill. Preheated the grill for at least 15 minutes. Got all of them on at the same time. They cook really quickly on the grill. Thanks for a keeper! I think I’ll try them with thyme next time.
We got back from a weekend away and the last thing I felt like doing was cooking, but after seeing your beautiful pictures and reading your blog, I just had to make this! We have a rosemary bush in the yard that is going crazy, and everything else in the pantry… it was meant to be! I can’t believe how easy it was, and SO delicious! Thanks, Deb for being so inspiring! I will be making this again and again!
this is getting made, tonight, to go along with that end of summer bounty that’s been piling up in my vegetable crisper- diced cucumber, radish, carrot, cherry tomtoes and feta, all tossed with plenty of scallions, parsley, olive oil and lemon juice. it will be perfect.
as for waiting on hold, i can’t tell you what a difference a headset makes. i either do dishes or knit (two activities i must do, but don’t like to), so it doesn’t feel like a total waste of time.
Made it with part whole-wheat flour - still yummy! Dont undercook them! Going to top them with pizza toppings (fresh garden basil and toms) if I have enough left!
This looks yummy. I wonder what it would taste like made with sesame oil instead of olive oil and no rosemary…
The rosemary is running rampant in my garden right now, and I’m desperately looking for ways to use it up. Well, that and the zucchini. Too bad I can’t use the two of them together. In the mean time, I can’t wait to try out this recipe!
Also, because I can’t resist a pun, I was putty in your hands when you said that it came together in “15 seconds flat”. Love it.
I made this fabulous flatbread first for myself and then two days later for a party (yep, it’s that good!) The dip that I served it with for the party (a yummy pea and goat cheese spread from Vegetarian Times) called for garlic olive oil, so the day before I made it all I crushed two cloves of garlic into a ramekin, poured olive oil over it, and put it in the refrigerator to develop flavor. I had some leftover garlic olive oil after making the dip, so I used it on top of the flatbread in place of regular olive oil. Yum, it was even better than the first batch!
Here is my variation on this recipe: After making the dough (to which I add 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper), I divide it into 12 pieces. (They weigh approx. 35 gr. each). I put each piece through my pasta machine on #6 and then lay the pieces out on parchment on a pizza peel. Cover with wax paper and roll very lightly and gently to thin just a tad. After brushing each flatbread lightly with olive oil, I slide the parchment off the peel on to the preheated baking sheet in the oven. They are a big hit for a wine-time snack! I was interested to read that someone makes them with white whole wheat flour and next time I will try that.
I made this flat bread over the weekend as a pizza crust. I added goat cheese, crab, artichoke, and roasted pepper spread as my “sauce”. It turned out great. Thanks Deb.
hi - i made this today using whole wheat flour (100%) and thyme (that’s what i had in the herb garden) and everyone loves them. i always use whole wheat flour and found it fine for this. i did have to be careful to really roll it out as thin as possible but even though the first one was thicker it was still good. i think we’ll be making this very often.
I made this and didn’t love it, sorry :-(. I think I rolled to the correct thinness, and used the parchment paper, etc. as directed. They just weren’t quite crispy enough for me– a bit bendy in the centers. I would have cooked them longer but the edges were already quite brown. I also thought they could have used a little more salt or something as they were kind of floury and bland. My failing might have been with the olive oil– i used a spray can (and not generously), rather than brushed, and I think this might have affected crispness.
thoughts? maybe cutting into smaller pieces, for more browning?
Two questions:
1. How does one make the dough not stick to the rolling pin?
2. How does one make the rosemary actually stick in the dough without all falling off the second you break it up?
So I made these with fresh chives, a sprinkling of dried thyme, whole wheat flour, and a bit of extra sea salt, and served them with salmon ceviche, pickled tomatillos, and guacamole. It was amazing. They translate to whole wheat quite well!
This looks gorgeous, Deb. Love the little sprigs of rosemary that are still clinging to the flatbread!
I made this tonight - it was heavenly! I had to restrain myself from eating it all in one go.
I’ve made this heaps now, it’s now one of my stock recipes for those fun, lazy, nibbly evenings with friends. But actually, I also tried it as a pizza base, and it was great! [because I hate waiting for dough to rise, and this was as quick as a blink] It tastes wonderful with lashings of cream cheese and roasted capsicum and cashew pesto.
So, thank you for the wounderfulness. I love, love, love this recipe (and so does anybody who tries it).
I made this last night for the first time, and I was a little surprised by the flakiness. I like it, and I’m curious to try it with toppings. I loved the rosemary flavor!