PORTLAND, Maine — Cookbook author Vanessa Seder joined us in the 207 kitchen. She is the author of "Eat Cool" and "Secret Sauces." She joined us to show us how to make a hot and cold flatbread with roasted red pepper sauce and fresh mozzarella.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chopped drained jarred roasted red bell peppers
- ¼ cup crushed canned tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1pound store-bought pizza dough
- 12 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced or torn
- 3 cup baby arugula
Directions:
- Heat the olive oil and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is very soft and just beginning to turn golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add the crushed red pepper and tomato paste and stir to combine and cook until the tomato paste is slightly caramelized about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the roasted red pepper, crushed tomatoes, oregano, ¼ cup water, and the sugar. Raise the heat to medium, bring just to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally until the flavors develop, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Divide to dough into 4 equal-sized balls and use your hands to gently stretch each piece of dough into an approximately 8-inch diameter round.
- Brush oil over the grill pan and add the flatbread in batches to the pan. Cook, flipping halfway through cooking until the dough is cooked through and grill marks have formed, about 8 to 10 minutes per piece of dough. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Spread about 1/3 cup of sauce onto the top of each flatbread, then top each with 3 ounces of sliced fresh mozzarella cheese and a generous handful of arugula. Drizzle with olive oil and season to taste with more salt and pepper.