Flatbread the Wabi-Sabi Way
The foundation of wabi-sabi suggests that food should be natural, simple and prepared from intuition.
This means measuring in the palm of your hands and improvising when you have cilantro and not parsley. It’s about experiencing your food in a way that is mindful and true. Often to experience wabi-sabi you have to slow down, be patient and look closely.Cooking should be spontaneous, joyful and never a test you can fail. Take advantage of moments at the dinner table to inhale the richness of a dish. Decide how you can create a beautiful space, wherever you are, to enjoy food. Bring out the chairs that don’t match and don't be afraid to use decrepit bowls and utensils passed down from generations forgotten in their familiarity-- these are the beginning lessons of cooking the wabi-sabi way.When putting this Italian flatbread recipe together, I thought a lot about the magical alchemy that is a sauce. I love how a few simple ingredients coming together can create the perfect base for any toppings to follow. Use what the the earth, the soil and the sea may give you.| INGREDIENTS |FOR THE DOUGH:½ package of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Crust1 Flax Egg (1 tablespoon Flaxseed Meal, 2½ tablespoons Water)¾ cup Water, warm1 tablespoon Yeast Packet (included in packet)1 tablespoon Olive OilFOR THE PESTO SAUCE:*Place everything in a food processor and blend until well combined, but slightly chunky.1 cup Basil Leaves¼ cup Spinach Leaves¼ cup Pistachios, raw2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil¼ teaspoon Sea Salt1 teaspoon Lemon Juice2 cloves of GarlicPinch of Freshly Ground PepperFOR THE TOPPINGS:Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for brushingPistachio PestoAsparagus, trimmedButternut Squash, shavedRadishes, slicedGarlic Cloves, roastedShiitake or Oyster MushroomsMiyoko's Kitchen Vegan Mozzarella| ASSEMBLY |1 | Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.2 | Add flaxseed meal and water to a dish and stir. Let it rest for 5 minutes to thicken. 3 | In a large bowl, combine water and yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes while the yeast dissolves. Stir in eggs and oil. Add gluten-free crust mix and stir until ingredients are completely combined.4 | Cover dough with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 20 minutes.5 | Place the dough between two parchment papers. Using a rolling pin or your hands, roll or press the dough flat. 6 | Take only the top parchment paper off and trim your crust using a large plate for the perfect circle. 7 | Place crust on a baking tray into the oven and bake without toppings for 7 minutes. 8 | Lightly brush your crust with olive oil. Assemble pesto sauce and toppings. Bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.9 | Remove flatbread from oven and top with fresh herbs or edible flowers as desired, serve hot with small lemon wedges and a pinch of red pepper flakes on the side.
