Flatbread with Roasted Squash, Caramelized Onions, Garlic, and Ginger

This is a recipe I hope will be helpful for my readers from the US who are celebrating Thanksgiving. I missed posting something special for Canadian Thanksgiving, so hopefully this makes up for that :) My husband and I just came up with this recipe last night - I realize it's a little late, so I apologize for not being able to post sooner. This recipe is so quick and simple to make, and I'm sure you already have most, if not all, of the ingredients on hand. This is also a great recipe to serve the day after your big Thanksgiving feast because you can use up any leftover squash.

Now, from my photos this recipe does not look glamorous. I could have made it look a bit better but I was in a benadryl fog, so this was the result. Do not be fooled by the different steps I have outlined below, this bread is so simple to make (and it is so, SO delicious). We ate this last night with a simple vegetarian curried soup and it was a perfect meal. This bread would be great as an appetizer, an entree (like pizza) served with a nice salad on the side, or an accompaniment to any soup. Try it with my Onion Soup or Golden Hubbard Squash Soup.

This recipe is a variation of my Rosemary Flatbread with Caramelized Onions.

 Flatbread with Roasted Squash, Caramelized Onions, Garlic, and Ginger

Please note - I would prepare the steps of this recipe in the order listed, so that you save a  bit of time.

Roasted Squash:

Use leftover squash, (you only need about one cup) or follow these directions for roasted squash

One small squash - I used butternut because that is what I had on hand, but feel free to use whatever is available.
3-4 tbsps olive oil, or oil of your choice
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to  400˚F/204˚C. Cut squash in half, scoop out the seeds (save for roasting - they are delicious!). Massage some oil, salt, and pepper into the flesh of the squash and place cut-side down on a baking sheet covered in parchment. Place on the bottom rack of your oven and roast until tender. It will take approximately 20-45 minutes, depending on the type and size of your squash. Serve on flatbread.

- This method will give you some nice caramelization on the squash. If you do not want this, add a bit of water to your baking sheet so that the squash steams instead.

If you want a fancier-looking flatbread:

Preheat oven to  400˚F/204˚C. Cut your squash into smallish cubes. Toss with oil, salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet, covered in parchment paper. Roast on the bottom rack for about 20-30 minutes, turning frequently to brown as many sides as possible. Serve on flatbread.

Caramelized Onions, Garlic, and Ginger:

4-5 medium-sized onions
4-5 cloves of garlic
About 2 thumbs (works out to about 3-4 tbsps) of fresh ginger root
About 4 tbsps of olive oil, or oil of your choice

Try to slice onions no more than 5mm/0.19in thick - the thinner they are sliced, the quicker they caramelize. Place onions and oil in wide-bottomed pot or pan. On medium heat, bring your onions to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the onions cook and begin to brown you will have to stir them more often so make sure to keep an eye on them. If you notice them starting to burn then turn down your heat. De-glaze your pan every once-in-a-while with some water, making sure to scrape off the caramelization from the bottom of your pan. To tell when your onions are done, look for a deep caramel colour, like the photo above.

Mince garlic and ginger and add to caramelized onions. Cook on medium-low heat until the garlic and ginger are tender (about 5-10 minutes). Season with salt and pepper and serve on the flatbread.  

Note: If you happen to be making my Onion Soup, reserve about 1/3 cup of your caramelized onions for the flatbread.

Flatbread:

2 cups/500 mls brown rice flour
1 tsp salt
Pinch of ground pepper
1 cup/250 mls water
1/4 cup/60 mls olive oil or oil of your choice

Preheat oven to 400˚F/204˚C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and grease with a generous amount of oil. In a medium-sized bowl mix brown rice flour, salt, and pepper. Mix oil and water in a small bowl and add to dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon or your fingers, stir until combined. The mixture will be like a wet dough or very thick batter. Using your hands or a spoon, drop the dough onto the baking sheet. With oiled fingers pat dough to about 1 cm/0.39 inches thick. Bake on the bottom rack of your oven for 15-20 mins, or until the bottom is golden brown and bread is firm to the touch. Top with Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onions, Garlic, and Ginger.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish or appetizer. If you are serving this as an entree you may want to double the recipe.

Notes:

- If you find your bread needs a little longer to cook, make sure to watch it carefully because it will burn very quickly.

Alterations:

- If you are grain-free but can eat legumes: I have made this bread with chickpea flour with decent success but the bread turns out a bit more dry. You may have to adjust the amount of liquid or oil to ensure your bread is moist enough. I have recently become allergic to chickpeas, or else I would figure out the measurements for you!

- If you are allergic to onion, garlic, or ginger simply omit them, or create your own spice blend.

- If you are allergic to squash you may want to use sweet potato. It will give you different results but I'm sure it will be equally as delicious.

- You can use this bread for a pizza crust but I suggest that you pre-bake the crust almost until cooked. If not, you may end up with a soggy crust.

I linked this post to Fat Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Health 2 Day Wednesdays, Allergy Friendly Friday, Freaky Friday, Living Well Blog Hop. Check out the other great recipes linked there!

*Please Note* These recipes are part of my personal allergy diet. Please remember that everyone's allergies are different.  If you are unsure about any ingredients listed in these recipes please check with your doctor before introducing.