Let’s have one last hurrah for summer! Now we’re into September I fear we may have to accept that summer is pretty much over. Luckily we have tomatoes a good way into September so we can go on living the good life for a bit longer.
Not that autumn’s bad of course. There were some gorgeous apples and pears at the farmers’ market on Sunday (my new local!)…and kale is also coming back into season!
But let’s just take a moment to contemplate the beauty of the tomato. These stunners weren’t actually farmers’ market produce but were more home-grown! They were in the veg delivery from my Mum’s garden along with those carrots that got made into my Maple-Orange Roasted Chickpeas and Carrots. Not all of the tomatoes were hits this year. A couple of the new varieties we tried turned out a little lacklustre and mealy, but these big beefsteak tomatoes were really juicy and flavourful. They were the perfect topping for my flatbread.
I’m calling this a flatbread but it’s pretty different to your typical “bread”. It’s ultra easy to make. No waiting around for rising or kneading dough involved, just a few simple, wholesome ingredients- almonds, oats, flax, salt and a touch of olive oil. I added some chopped herbs I had hanging around in the fridge but they’re entirely optional.
It bakes up nice and crisp and, though it’s fairly delicate, it’s sturdy enough to be able to pick up a wedge and eat it with your hands. I’m absolutely in love with the nutty flavour and can see myself baking up a double or triple batch and turning it into a thick cracker of sorts to serve with hummus or nut butter. Yum.
You really could top it with anything. The sweet sweet tomatoes and basil were a beautiful contrast though and this basil cream is unbelievably simple (just 3 ingredients, including salt!) and makes it all even more delicious.
It doesn’t look particularly large but it’s very filling so is perfect to serve two along with a big green salad.
Ingredients
- 3/4 C Almond meal (just grind whole almonds in your food processor or high-powered blender)
- 3/4 C Oat flour (I also make my own, just grinding whole oats in my blender)
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 Tbsp Ground flax + 3 Tbsp Water + 1-2 Tbsp Water, if necessary
- 1 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1-2 Tbsp Chopped fresh herbs (optional)
- 1/2 C Cashews, soaked at least 30 minutes and drained
- 1/2 C Water
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Handful of Fresh basil (I used 12 medium-large leaves)
- 1-2 Beefsteak or other Large slicing tomatoes, thinly sliced
- Handful of Fresh basil leaves
- Basil Cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F
- In a small bowl, stir together the flax and water and set aside to thicken.
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl (almond meal, oat flour, baking powder, salt and herbs if using).
- Add the flax mixture and olive oil and stir well to combine. I find it easiest to use my hands. If it is a little dry and crumbly add a little extra water, half a Tbsp at a time, until it comes together into a dough. It should be a tiny bit sticky.
- Roll out between two sheets of parchment paper until fairly thin (1/4cm-ish) and shape into an oblong (or whatever shape you like!).
- Remove top sheet of parchment paper and bake for 20-25 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden at the edges and firm to the touch.
- Prepare the basil cream while the flatbread is baking.
- Simply blend all the ingredients until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate to store.
- Once the flatbread has finished baking, arrange the sliced tomatoes on top, drizzle generously with the basil cream and scatter over the basil leaves
Notes
*You will not need all the basil cream but leftovers are great as a dip for crudités or a pasta sauce with a little nutritional yeast stirred in.
Make this Almond-Oat Flatbread over the weekend and don’t forget to share your pictures. I love seeing them. Just tag @coconutandberries and use the #coconutandberries so I don’t miss it!
Oh, and tell me, what fruit or vegetable are you most excited to see in autumn?
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