by Cathy Mantuano and Tony Mantuano
from Wine Bar Food: Mediterranean Flavors
to Crave with Wines to Match
(Clarkson Potter, 2008)
Makes 16 large pieces
This cheesy flatbread is so satisfyingly crunchy and easy to make that you will want to bake it regularly. We recommend using a manual or electric pasta machine to roll out the dough for these crispy, paper-thin treats. Using a rolling pin will yield slightly thicker, more rustic results. After just one bite, which we’ve seen lead to many more addictive bites, you will understand why this is one of the most sought-after recipes in our restaurants.—Cathy Mantuano and Tony Mantuano
convert Ingredients
2 envelopes active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
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Directions
1. Combine the yeast and warm water in a small bowl and let sit until bubbly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the olive oil.
2. Put the flour and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook or in a large bowl. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix on low speed or with your hands until the water is absorbed and a shaggy dough is formed. Knead the dough on a lightly floured board until the dough is uniform and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. It will be slightly sticky.
3. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces and shape into balls. Dust with flour and place on a floured cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Have ready 2 nonstick cookie sheets or grease regular cookie sheets with olive oil.
5. Working with one dough ball at a time (cover the remaining dough with a moist kitchen towel until ready to use), dust the ball with flour and flatten with your hand. Cut the dough in half and roll half the dough through a pasta machine with the rollers set midway apart. Dust the dough with flour if it becomes sticky. Reduce the space between the rollers one setting at a time until you have reached the last setting and the dough is a smooth, thin sheet. Transfer to a cutting board and cut in half on an angle into large pieces so that 2 will fit on a cookie sheet. The pieces should each be approximately 4 inches wide and 12 inches long. Roll and cut the remaining half in the same manner as the first.
6. Place the rolled dough on the cookie sheets. Brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with about a quarter of the cheese, and bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes.
7. Let cool on a rack before serving. Repeat this process with the rest of the dough balls, rolling and baking until all the dough is used. Stored in an airtight container, the flatbread will keep for up to 2 days.
Recipe © 2008 by Cathy Mantuano and Tony Mantuano. All rights reserved.
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[Maria Peplowski] This is very easy and tasty. I made some flatbreads with the cheese as described in the recipe, but I also made some without, instead using sea salt, smoked sea salt, or finely chopped rosemary. The rosemary version was my favorite! But the cracker itself is light and a great base for many additions. This recipe makes a ton of crackers; everyone at work loved them.
[Cindi Kruth] This dough was simple to put together and handled beautifully. Since it didn’t require much kneading, I didn’t bother with the mixer and made it by hand. The dough pieces got too long to roll easily at about setting 3 on my pasta machine so I cut them in half. After baking the first couple of sheets as directed, I substituted some sea salt for the cheese and sprinkled on chopped fresh herbs (rosemary and thyme) halfway through the baking for a neighbor who can’t have dairy. Everyone loved both versions. Crispy, salty, flavorful, more interesting than crackers, these flatbreads were just right with a glass of wine on the patio.
[Kim Graham] I found this flatbread completely addictive. It comes out of the oven crisp like a very thin cracker, and the saltiness of the parmesan makes it wonderful for munching. The dough is very simple to make and has a nice texture to work with. Once I figured out the trick to putting it through the pasta machine (plenty of flour!), it was a lot of fun to make, too.
[Robin Rice-Foster] This is a winner! Really crispy, I love the flavor of the bread and will make this for appetizers as well as just to munch on myself. I did share the flatbread with my son, Kyle, he ate the remaining 15 pieces while watching the football game and wanted more.
[Anonymous] These crackers are extremely addictive! But be careful. If they’re baked even slightly too long, the cheese will have a burnt taste. I used a manual pasta machine and found that only using the #5 setting worked well for me. Also used a rolling pin on one batch with great results. A very easy recipe that I will be using again!
[Marina Myslivec] After hand rolling my dough (since I don’t have a pasta machine) and slowly peeled it off of my board, the bread was quite straightforward and quick. The results were delicious, although the brush of oil on top was unnecessary. My fiancé and I had the flatbread as a side to our salad, and it worked quite well; the leftovers were good reheated the next day as well. I will definitely make this again.