This recipe is a perfect way to use up all the pears from your tree. It also makes for some delicious leftovers, so don’t worry about making too much! After just 20 minutes in the oven, you will have this dish ready and waiting to be gobbled up. All of these ingredients come together for a flavor that would make any pear-lover happy – including you!
Let start by talking about what each ingredient bring to the makings of this dish.
-Olive oil: This ingredient not only helps with browning but also adds a distinct flavor to the dough as well. It’s an essential element that will make your flatbread taste like it came from Italy! You could use olive oil and another type of cooking fat, such as clarified butter or coconut oil if you’re looking for vegan/dairy free options.
-Caramelized onions: These are what give the pear sauce its sweetness. They take some time to cook which is why we put them in first before anything else goes into the pan – they need our undivided attention even after adding other ingredients so don’t forget about them! Right after frying up those chopped purple pears, add the onions and cook until they turn deep brown.
-Butter: The butter should be melted before adding to the pan, which will help prevent it from sticking or burning when added to a hot surface. If you opt for clarified butter (or other cooking fat) this step is not necessary as that type of fat does not contain milk solids.
-Allspice: A mixture of ground spices consisting mainly of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and pepper with some variations such as ginger and cardamom being used in certain dishes. This is what gives our dough a warm flavor that pairs well with the earthy walnuts mixed into it!
-Sea salt: It’s important to use sea salt because its larger grains are less likely to dissolve in the dough compared with table salt.
-Egg: To help make our flatbread less dense, let’s whip an egg and add it to the mixture!
Okay, Let’s dive in!
Step one: Begin by preheating oven to 400 degrees
Step two: Slice onions and place in a skillet with butter. Allow them to caramelize for about 15-20 minutes, stirring every so often
Step three: Add garlic cloves and thyme sprigs then let simmer for another five minutes
Step four – Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly before adding pear slices (about 12)
Step five – Once cooled enough add eggs one at a time mixing as you go until fully incorporated
Then gather all of your other ingredients like flour, salt, pepper, cheese and mix together on low speed in a food processor or blender. You can also use whole wheat flour instead if desired! It is o very much up to you.
Step six – Pour the mixture into the skillet and cook for about 15-17 minutes until it is just starting to brown on top
Step seven: Remove from oven, let cool slightly before cutting and serving with blue cheese or goat cheese if desired!
So there you have it folks! That’s how I make my Pear & Caramelized Onion Skillet Flatbread with Walnuts and Blue Cheese at home in a snap of two fingers so they can be ready when we’re hungry after a long day out doing whatever that was all about. If this recipe doesn’t satisfy your appetite then try one of these other goodies like ham and broccoli quiche, meatloaf muffins with eggnog glaze, or cinnamon-sugar apple fritters.
Making tips:
-Start with a clean skillet, then add oil and butter.
-Brown the onions until they have caramelized. Browning them creates that sweet flavor for this dish. Add thyme leaves, salt and pepper to taste – just before removing from heat! This is what will infuse all of those flavors into your flatbreads.
-Bring some water to boil in another pan or pot (or if you’ve already got it on the stove). Once boiling, stir in flour and cook uncovered over low/medium heat about one minute stirring constantly so lumps don’t form as the dough thickens up. Then pour half of it into a bowl while leaving the rest cooking on medium heat because we’re going to return to this sauce.
-Add eggs, milk and seasonings to the bowl of flour and mix with a fork or your hands until they’re incorporated. You’ll have something that looks like pancake batter!
-After you’ve browned your onions, remove them from skillet to a plate by lifting them up with a slotted spoon (or just pour into another dish). Pour some olive oil in the same pan where you sautéed the onion so it’s all coated, then spread over flatbread dough using fingers once flattened out on top of heated skillet for about 30 seconds per side – or cook two at a time if you want more than one serving faster. Cook about four minutes total because we don’t need much cooking on these.
-Add the onions back to skillet and pour in your sauce. The eggs will cook in the hot pan, mixing with everything else. It’s so good! Capers are optional but a nice addition if you like them – or use something from your garden instead of capers if that’s what you’ve got on hand and go for it!
Folks, that’s all for today. Tune in next time and I’ll show you how to make my favorite appetizer of cheese puff pot stickers!