Girasol

A few weekends ago I finally got around to making the bread that has been on my summer "to-do list": strawberry balsamic flatbread from my favorite food blogger, Joy the Baker. It was warm, sweet, and tangy; and it is the perfect side dish for a morning brunch or afternoon luncheon with friends.

With simple ingredients and basic instructions, the bread was fairly easy to bake. I put on some Amos Lee, gathered my ingredients, and whipped up this scrumptious bread. Here's what you need:

2 packages active dry yeast

1 cup warm water (between 110 and 115 degrees F)

3 cups of flour (I used whole wheat)

3 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon olive oil

3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 cup sliced strawberries

sea salt for topping

1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles

good balsamic vinegar, to drizzle on top

1 tablespoon fresh, chopped mint

Start by mixing the yeast with the warm water, making sure all the yeast dissolves. Add part of the flower and blend until it reaches a smooth, milky consistency.

Cover the bowl and let it rise for one hour.

After the mix has risen, stir in 3 tbsp. olive oil, sugar, orange zest, and one cup of flour. 

Eventually add the last bit of the flower, along with the salt, and work into a dough.

Knead dough for approximately 5 minutes, then roll into a ball and coat with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Let rise for an hour.

Stretch dough to spread across a baking sheet and let rise for 30 minutes. Once dough is risen, make indentations with your thumb sporadically across the dough surface, and add sliced strawberries. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cool for 10 minutes or so, then sprinkle mint leaves, drizzle balsamic, and add crumbled goat cheese. Voila! Enjoy :)