Flatbreads with Eggplant Relish and Ricotta
You can make the eggplant relish up to five days in advance—it gets better as it sits. You’ll have more than you need for this recipe; toss leftovers with pasta or add to a grain bowl.
Ingredients
Ingredients
EGGPLANT RELISH
- 1 medium eggplant cut lengthwise into ½-inch-thick slices
- 1 small red onion quartered, with root end intact
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided, plus more for drizzling
- 3 tablespoons raisins
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped oregano leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
FLATBREADS
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- 4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil divided, plus more for drizzling
- Kosher salt to taste
- 1 recipe Basic Flatbread Dough
- 2 to 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
- ¼ cup roughly chopped parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons torn oregano leaves
- Balsamic vinegar for drizzling
- Flaky salt try Maldon, to taste
Instructions
Instructions
EGGPLANT RELISH
- Heat grill to medium-high on one side and medium-low on the other. Rub eggplant and onion with 1 tablespoon olive oil each, season with salt, and place on the hot side of the grill. Sear until grill marks appear, 1 to 2 minutes. Flip and sear the other side. Transfer vegetables to the cooler side of the grill. Cover and cook eggplant for another 5 to 6 minutes, turning once or twice. The onions will need to cook for 10 to 15 additional minutes or until tender. Remove and discard the papery outer skin. Turn heat to medium-low on both grill sides.
- Transfer vegetables to a platter to cool. Once cool, roughly dice and combine with remaining olive oil, raisins, balsamic vinegar, oregano, and salt in a medium bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Set relish aside.
FLATBREADS
- Combine ricotta and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small bowl. Add salt to taste. Set aside.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface and divide into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a 7-inch-long oval and brush both sides with olive oil. Place flatbreads directly on grill grates and cover grill. Cook, checking every 2 minutes, until dough bubbles and stiffens and flatbreads have visible grill marks on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip flatbreads, cover grill, and cook 1 minute. Remove from grill.
- Spread about 1/3 cup relish on each flatbread. Dollop each with spoonfuls of ricotta mixture. Return flatbreads to grill, cover, and cook, checking every 2 minutes, until cheese is softened and dough is fully cooked, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from grill.
- Sprinkle with pine nuts, parsley, and oregano leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste and dust with flaky salt.
Leigh Belanger
Leigh Belanger is culture's former food editor. She's been a food writer, editor, and project manager for over a decade— serving as program director for Chefs Collaborative and contributing to local newspapers and magazines. Her first book, The Boston Homegrown Cookbook, was published in 2012. She lives and cooks in Boston with her family.
Rebecca Haley-Park
Rebecca Haley-Park is culture's former editor and resident stinky cheese cheerleader. A native New Englander, she holds a BFA in creative writing from University of Maine at Farmington.
