Smoked Cheese Flatbreads

One of the things I miss the most about living in Minnesota is being close to Wisconsin cheese. The highlight of the drive from the Twin Cities to Terre Haute, Indiana, was always stopping at the Ehlenbach’s Cheese Chalet in Tomah. It was there that I learned the joys of 5- and 7-year old cheddar, squeaky fresh cheese curds, and smoked cheeses. In fact, just a couple of months ago, while driving back from Milwaukee, I stopped at a “last chance” cheese shop and reminded myself of the heavenly joys of Wisconsin smoked string cheese. This is cheese that requires me to sit down and have some quiet time.

The following flatbreads are made with smoked gouda and smoked swiss, although one could just as easily mix in some smoked cheddar for a different flavor profile. Just do not add in smoked string cheese. That is meant to be eaten by itself. While seated.

Ingredients:

• Dough
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 ¼ cups unbleached white flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• Cornmeal

• Toppings
• 2 cups shredded smoked cheese (swiss/gouda mix)
• 2 teaspoons ground sage
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• Fig topping
• Balsamic vinegar (preferably fig balsamic)
• 1 cup thinly sliced dried figs
• 1 cup slivered, blanched almonds
• BBQ topping
• Fresh green beans, chopped into ½-inch long pieces

Place a pizza stone in an oven, and preheat to 450oF.

In a large bowl, combine the yeast, warm water, and white flour. Mix well to blend. Add the oil, salt, and whole wheat flour and stir until the dough sticks together. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface or in a large sturdy bowl. Dust hands with flour, and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about five minutes. If the dough gets sticky, sprinkle it with a little more flour.

Roll the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with a dishtowel and set in a warm, but not hot, place to rise until double in volume, about one hour.

When the dough has risen, punch down the dough, and separate the dough into two balls to make two flatbreads. Let the dough rest 20 minutes before rolling out.

Sprinkle the working area with corn meal, and roll out each ball of dough into an elongated rectangle, about 9 x 12 inches. Mix together the cheese, sage, and rosemary. Baste the flatbread crust with either balsamic vinegar or BBQ sauce, depending on the recipe. Top with the cheese mixture. Add either the fig topping or the BBQ topping, depending on the recipe. Bake on a hot stone for 7-10 minutes until crust is lightly browned.

Makes two 9x12-inch flatbreads