Flatbreads with Za'atar Beans & Spinach Pesto
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- za'atar 4 tsp
- ground cumin 1 tsp
- ground coriander 1 tsp
- kosher salt 1 tsp
- medium shallots 2
- garlic cloves 3
- sumac or large lemon 1 tbsp
- good-quality vinegar champagne, red wine, or white wine vinegar 3 tbsp
- Sea
- fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley leaves 1 ½ cup
- loosely packed cup fresh mint leaves or cilantro 12 g
- Best
- white beans of choice 2
- extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp
- thick flatbreads 4
- Spinach Pesto 16 tbsp
Za'atar Bean Spices
If you didn’t buy za'atar, make this substitute. See the za'atar grocery note on your grocery list for whether you need to scale the recipe.
Feel free to use any combo of soft herbs like fresh basil, fresh mint, flat-leaf parsley, and/or cilantro. If you don’t have enough fresh herbs for the Herby Salad, you can supplement with some soft salad greens. If you bought pizza dough, plan ahead for any thawing time needed, then cook according to the package instructions. Top with the Spinach Pesto and cook as listed in steps 6(a) and 6(b). Assemble as listed in step 7. Storage: For the best leftovers, make only as many flatbreads as you plan to eat, as the assembled flatbreads with the Herby Salad won’t keep well in the fridge for more than 1 day. Store the Spinach Pesto in its jar for a total of 5 to 6 days. Store the Za'atar Beans separately in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Make the Herby Salad fresh, and bake and assemble the flatbreads right before serving. Nutrition boost: Top your flatbreads with sliced cherry tomatoes, shaved fennel, or sliced red bell peppers (raw or roasted). Shortcut: If you skipped the Spinach Pesto, use 6-8 oz of your store-bought vegan pesto instead. Shortcut: No-oven option: If you bought flatbreads (as opposed to pizza crust), you can skip toasting the flatbreads. You can either (a) spread the Spinach Pesto, Za'atar Beans, and Herby Salad on top of plain flatbreads (briefly warm up the flatbreads in the microwave first) or (b) stuff the fillings into the flatbreads and roll them up like wraps.
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1Prepare: za'atar , ground cumin , ground coriander , kosher salt .
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2Add all the ingredients to a small ziploc bag, seal, and shake to combine. Or, add all the ingredients to a small bowl, stir well, and transfer to a container.
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3Label and store on the counter or in your pantry for up to 6 months.
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4For the herby salad: medium shallots , garlic cloves , sumac or large lemon , good-quality vinegar champagne, red wine, or white wine vinegar , Sea salt or kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley leaves , loosely packed cup fresh mint leaves or cilantro , Best -quality extra virgin olive oil. For the za'atar beans: white beans of choice , extra virgin olive oil , Za'atar Bean Spices ( timer 1/2 tbsp) (from meal prep), thick flatbreads , Spinach Pesto .
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5Start the Herby Salad. Slice the shallots very thinly (a mandoline helps). Grate or finely mince the garlic. Add the shallots and garlic to a medium bowl and mix in the sumac (or lemon zest), vinegar, and a pinch of sea salt. Toss well to coat. Marinate for at least 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. TIP: If saving leftovers, make just as much Herby Salad as you will eat.
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6Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven and another on the bottommost shelf. Preheat the oven to 400ºF / 205ºC. NOTE: If cooking for just 1 or 2, you can use a toaster oven.
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7While the oven preheats, make your side salad (if you’re making one).
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8Finish the Herby Salad. Roughly tear the fresh herb leaves with your hands and add to the marinated shallots. Mix in 1 1/2 tsp of best-quality olive oil plus a pinch or two of salt and pepper. Taste, adding more of any of the ingredients so it tastes bright, tart, and fresh. Set aside.
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9Make the Za'atar Beans. Drain and rinse the beans. Transfer to a large dish towel and gently rub to remove some moisture. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) sauté pan or frying pan over medium heat. Once warm, add the Bean Spices and stir constantly for 20-30 seconds . Add the beans and use a silicone spatula to coat them in the spiced oil. Stir frequently for 3 to 4 minutes, until warmed through and well combined (if the spices stick a lot, add a drizzle more of the oil). Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt.
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10Bake the flatbreads. Transfer plain flatbreads to two rimmed sheet pans. Bake for 4-5 minutes until warm and a bit crisp but not hard (4 minutes for lavash). Remove the flatbreads and slather with Spinach Pesto, leaving a thin border around the edges (the exact amount will depend on the size of your flatbreads). Don’t add the Za'atar Beans or Herby Salad just yet! Bake the flatbreads for 1 minute, or until the pesto is warmed through.
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11Assemble: Top the pesto flatbreads with the Za'atar Beans and Herby Salad. If desired, drizzle a bit of best-quality olive oil on top of each flatbread. Carefully transfer to a cutting board and slice the flatbreads into smaller pieces. Serve with your side salad, if you made one.