roasted squash, cambozola, and caramelized onion flatbread with lemony greens

I wish I could poll all of you and ask, “what is the difference between pizza and flatbread?” The official answer, from my unofficial google research, is that pizza is made with yeasted dough, whereas flatbread is sans yeast (hence, the name flatbread). However, I think many of you might agree with me that the category “flatbread” is also characterized by a lack of pizza sauce, and generally speaking, less cheese. Thus, I went with my personal feelings on the matter and named this a flatbread, though it does use a yeasted dough. The bottom line is, no matter what you want to call this recipe, at the very least it is delicious. The caramelized onions are a small labor of love, but 100% worth it. And coming from someone who does not like blue cheese, I can say the cambozola pairs exceptionally here. This flatbread could be a fun party appetizer, or, in the time of COVID where we don’t have parties, you and a quarantine buddy could easily enjoy this as a main dish with a nice bottle of wine.

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ROASTED SQUASH, CAMBOZOLA, AND CARAMELIZED ONION FLATBREAD WITH LEMONY GREENS
recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

makes one 10×14 flatbread (feeds roughly 4 as a main dish, or more as an appetizer)

Ingredients:
1 pizza crust (approximately 16oz)*
caramelized onions (recipe below)
roasted delicata squash (recipe below)
6oz cambozola cheese, diced
lemony greens (recipe below)

caramelized onions:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, sliced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 maple syrup

roasted squash:
1.5 pounds delicata squash
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped a few times
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (½ tsp for mild spice, 1 tsp for medium spice)
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

lemony greens:
2oz arugula
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Make the caramelized onions: Heat a large pan over medium-low heat and add the olive oil, onions, and salt. Stir them occasionally, and when the onions begin to brown (this could take 15-20 minutes) add the apple cider vinegar and maple syrup. If your onions start to brown in less than 10 minutes, turn the burner heat down a little. Let the onions slowly caramelize, stirring occasionally. Eventually they will turn an amber brown and become a sticky, jammy, and delicious mess. This entire process can take roughly 45 min, so go ahead and start the next step while the onions are cooking.

2. Make the squash: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the delicata squash lengthwise and remove the seeds. Cut widthwise into approximately 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick slices (see photo above for reference). Put in a medium mixing bowl and toss with the olive oil, thyme, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Spoon into a 9×13 baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, stirring half way. When the squash is done roasting, adjust oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

3. Assemble and bake: On a clean and lightly floured surface, roll out your dough into a 10×14 inch rectangle. Place the dough on a cookie sheet and then add the caramelized onions and delicata squash, spreading them evenly over the dough. Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees F, then sprinkle on the cambazola cheese and bake for another 2-4 minutes, or until the crust is a light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for a couple minutes while you prep the greens.

4. Toss together all ingredients for the lemony greens and sprinkle onto the flatbread. Cut the flatbread into squares and serve.

*When I want to save time, I buy a pre-made pizza dough. If I want homemade dough, I use this recipe.

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