Cheesy Summer Squash Flatbread

This cheesy summer squash flatbread is heaped with marinated squash, blue cheese and mozzarella for a savory snack (goes great with white wine or chilled beer!) or even as a main course. In that case, you can serve it with salad to complete the meal. 

So, our weather hasn’t been great – lots of rain and very little sun – but after the drought/scorcher that was summer 2022, I’m not about to complain. My tomatoes are still small and green but my summer squash are flourishing.

I grew them from seeds in smaller pots and transplanted them thinking they might vine but this variety of crookneck squash does not. That said, I deliberately chose the seeds that said “good in pots” and so they are! 

Fortunately, even though I have five plants, they grow just a few squash at a time and so – for now - I’m able to keep up with the harvest but we’ve still been eating a lot of summer squash and that’s a good thing. 

This is the first time I’ve attempted growing these crookneck squash but since they’ve turned out so easy, I know it won’t be the last. Only one caveat: I picked one to cook a week ago that was as big as full grown but it still had some green on it. Talk about bitter! I figured the size was what mattered but now I know not to pick them till they are completely yellow. 

Cheesy Summer Squash Flatbread

If you don't have summer squash, zucchini is an excellent substitute. In fact, this recipe is adapted from one on the delicious. magazine website using courgette (BrE for zucchini.)  If you do not have a 12 in cast iron skillet, this can also be baked in the oven on a pizza stone. Put the stone in as you preheat the oven. 

Ingredients

For the flatbread dough:

1 2/3 cups or 200g strong white flour plus extra for dusting

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

4 1/2 fl oz or 133ml tepid water

1/4 cup or 60g fed sourdough starter

For the topping:

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 cup or 60ml olive oil

3 small summer squash, trimmed (about 300g)

Finely grated zest 1 lemon

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 1/2 oz or 100g Roquefort or other strong blue cheese, crumbled

4 1/4 oz or 120g fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons pine nuts (20g)

Optional for serving: lemon wedges (from the one you zested)

Method

In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together. Add the tepid water and the sourdough starter. 

Use a wooden spoon or a Danish dough whisk to combine everything into a wet and sticky dough. 

Use damp hands to form it into a loose lump. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or cling film and then leave it at room temperature for 6-8 hours.

Important: Stretch and fold the dough over several times during the rising time to develop the gluten. I set a timer for 30 minutes to remind myself to keep doing this step often.

Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a small pot until it just starts to shimmer. Remove the pot from the heat and add in the sliced garlic. 

Leave to infuse until the oil is cool. Strain out the garlic with a small sieve and save for adding to the flatbread to serve. 

Cut the summer squash in half and scoop out any seeds. Discard or compost the seeds. Cut the squash into long ribbons using a vegetable peeler or slice finely lengthways. 

Put the thin slices in a bowl with the lemon zest and 2 tablespoon of the garlic oil, then season with a sprinkle fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Massage the salt, pepper, zest and oil into the squash as you might do it raw kale for kale salad. Set aside for at least 30 minutes but longer is better to help soften the squash. 

Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C, and then start heating a large cast-iron skillet on your stovetop.

Roll out the dough into a circle on a piece of nonstick baking parchment. Despite mine being nonstick, I found it still needed quite a bit of flour underneath so it would turn loose when I needed it to. You may find the same. 

Prop the squash bowl on its side so that any juices that have accumulated can run off. Soak it up with a paper towel and discard. We are looking for crispy flatbread so want to keep the toppings as dry as possible. 

When the iron skillet is very hot, carefully transfer the dough circle to it. Cook the dough on the stovetop for about 2-3 minutes. You can see the middle starting to cook here. 

Pop the skillet into your preheated oven to cook the flatbread before adding the toppings. I set a timer for five minutes. 

When your timer rings, remove the flatbread from the oven. 

Top it with the summer squash slices, crumbled blue cheese, sliced mozzarella and pine nuts.

Return the flatbread to the oven. Cook for a further 10-12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the summer squash is golden in places. 

You want a crunchy top and a crunchy bottom. Check the bottom with a wooden spatula and leave it in a bit longer if it isn't to your liking. 

Likewise, if you desire a little more color on your squash or cheese, you can turn the oven to broil for another minute or two. Just be watchful so it doesn't burn. 

Remove the pan from the oven and slide the flatbread onto a cutting board. Top with the reserved garlic and some more garlic oil, if desired. 

I found that extra oil was not necessary as the oils from the cheese created little pools already. In fact, I dabbed them with a paper towel to remove some of the oil. If you are a fan of oily focaccia, this probably won’t bother you. I like mine on the drier side. 

Cut into wedges to serve.  

I also gave my slices a squeeze of lemon juice. You might want to as well.

Enjoy!

It’s Foodie Extravaganza time, when my fellow bloggers and I share recipes for random foodie holidays. This month it’s National Zucchini Day on 8 August but our host, Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm said I could sub in my summer squash since many people use them interchangeably. Thanks, Wendy, and thanks for hosting! Check out all the recipe links below. 

• Black Bean and Zucchini Enchilada Casserole by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cheesy Summer Squash Sourdough Flatbread by Food Lust People Love
• Golden Zucchini with Whipped Ricotta and Feta by Pandemonium Noshery
• Keto Zucchini Balls in Creamy Tomato Gravy by Sneha's Recipe
• Seared Zucchini Topped with Fresh Corn Salad by Culinary Cam
• Zucchini & Orzo Pasta Baked Cheddar Casserole by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Zucchini Slaw by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Zucchini with Cheese Flatbread by Palatable Pastime

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays by cooking and baking together with the same ingredient or theme each month. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board.

Pin this Cheesy Summer Squash flatbread!

 .

Summer Squash Parmesan Muffins #MuffinMonday

Just picked summer squash and Parmesan cheese combine to make fluffy, flavorful small batch muffins that are perfect as a snack or for breakfast.

If I were a tv chef, this recipe would make just six muffins. Does it drive anyone else crazy when they just set aside a bowl of batter and don’t even use a spatula to scrape the sides? I know they have time constraints but, come on! It only takes a few seconds. Such a waste. 

One of the reasons I love using my silicone muffin cups is because when there is a bit of batter left over, I am not tempted to overload the cups. It’s just so easy to pop another one on the baking pan and make seven instead of six, or 13 instead of 12. 

Another reason I love them is because they don’t need greasing or lining with paper cups. Muffins slide right out every time. Living the dream. It’s the small things, folks. 

Summer Squash Parmesan Muffins

This recipe makes six or seven muffins, depending on the size of your muffin cups and whether you can be bothered to use a rubber spatula. It was adapted from one on the delicious. magazine website and was published in the September 2019 edition. 

Ingredients

1 summer or crookneck squash (approximate weight after removing seeds: 80g)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/3 cup or 80ml milk

1 egg

1 cup or 125g flour

2 oz or 57g grated Parmesan, divided

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Method

Cut the fat part of the summer squash in half and scoop the seeds out and discard (or compost) them. 

Grate the rest of the squash onto a paper towel. 

Fold the paper towel over to cover the grated squash and roll it up in a cloth towel. Wring as much juice as you can out of the squash, set aside. 

Heat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Line a 7 holes of a 12-cup muffin pan with paper muffin cases. Or use silicone muffin cups on a baking tray.

Separate out a small amount of the grated Parmesan for topping. 

In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, egg and milk. 

Add in the grated squash, flour, Parmesan, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt and cayenne. Fold until just combined.

Divide the batter among the muffin holes and top each with a pinch or two of the reserved grated Parmesan. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and springy to the touch. 

Leave to cool on a wire rack.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy! 

It's the last Monday of July - where has the month gone?! - so that means it's time again for Muffin Monday. Check out the recipe links below!

• Blueberry Basil Jam Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Double Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Lemon Poppy Zucchini Bread Muffins from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Sourdough Apricot Oat Muffins from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Summer Squash Parmesan Muffins from Food Lust People Love

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

Pin these Summer Squash Parmesan Muffins!

 .

Lentil Mushroom Feta Calzones

These lentil mushroom feta calzones are the perfect picnic food, easy to transport and even easier to eat. The filling is tasty and the crust divine. 

I made these into four large calzones to feed four hungry people but the dough and filling could be easily divided into small portions to make more smaller calzones. The combination of lentils, mushrooms and feta creates a hearty filling that even the carnivores in your family will enjoy. 

Lentil Mushroom Feta Calzones

The folding technique for the edges of the calzones is one that is employed by the bakers of the traditional Cornish pasty. Except I like to leave the little tail out rather than tucking in under. Check out how here: Cousin Jack's Pasty Co.

Ingredients

For the dough:

3/4 cup or 180ml lukewarm water (not hot)

1 teaspoon active-dry yeast

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2 cups or 250g strong bread flour, plus more if needed

1 teaspoon salt

Drizzle olive oil for the dough bowl

For the filling:

1/2 cup or 110g uncooked or 1 1/8 cups or 220g cooked/rinsed Puy (French) lentils (If you are cooking them, boil with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda till tender. Drain and rinse.)

6 1/3 oz or 180g baby portabella mushrooms

2-3 medium cloves garlic

Drizzle of oil for the cooking pan

1 medium tomato – about 4 2/3 oz or 130g, cut into small pieces

1 fresh jalapeño, optional but recommended, chopped 

Method

Put the yeast and sugar in a bowl. Pour in the warm water and give it a stir. Set aside for a few minutes. It should start to get foamy on top. 

In a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk the flour and salt together. Pour in the yeast mixture and mix well to form a soft dough.

Using the dough hook on the stand mixer, or kneading by hand against the counter, knead the dough until it forms a smooth, slightly tacky ball that springs back when you poke it, 5 to 8 minutes. If the dough sticks to the bowl or your hands, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it’s easier to work with.

Avoid adding too much flour if possible. I didn’t add any this time whereas the last time, I added two tablespoons. This is the sort of thing that can change with your flour and the humidity in the air. 

If you're planning to make the calzones today, then give the dough a rise. Clean out the mixing bowl, coat it with a little oil, and transfer the dough back inside. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let the dough rise until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Alternatively, you can store the dough in the fridge and make the calzones the next day. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate. 

Either way, make the filling which can also be stored in the refrigerator overnight or cooled and used the same day. 

Put the cooked, rinsed lentils in a mixing bowl that is large enough to hold all of the filling ingredients, with room to stir. 

Clean and chop the mushrooms and mince the garlic. 

Drizzle a little oil into a big the pot and add the garlic. 

Cook it briefly, making sure it doesn’t burn, then add the mushrooms. 

Cook them until golden. Add them to the lentil bowl. 

Add the tomato and jalapeño, if using, to the now empty pot along with another drizzle of oil. 

Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the tomato and jalapeño are well cooked and slump into a paste. Add the paste to the lentil/mushroom bowl and stir well. Leave to cool. 

Once the rest of the filling is cool, crumble the feta and gently fold it in. 

Take the dough out of the refrigerator about half an hour before you are ready to bake. Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Divide the dough into four balls.

Roll one ball of dough out into a thin circle about 7 in or 17.75cm across. 

Put about 1/4 of the cooled filling (about 5 1/3 oz or 150g) on one side of the circle.

Gently lift the other side up and over, pressing the air out as you stick the edges of the two halves together.

Starting on one side of the semi circle, crimp the edges to seal the calzones. (See note above the ingredient list for a link to an instructional video.) Repeat until all of the calzones have been filled and formed.

Transfer the calzones to your baking tray, leaving enough room between them so that they can rise while baking. Brush the tops lightly with olive oil.

Bake in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and puffed.

These can be eaten hot or at room temperature. 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and since it’s National Picnic Month, we are going on a picnic! Hope the weather is fine where you live. Check out all the great recipe links below. Many thanks to our host, Camilla at Culinary Cam!

• A Crostini Array by Culinary Cam
• Bacon & Chive Deviled Eggs with Hot Honey by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Chocolate Truffle Cookies by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Eggless Brookies - Brownie Cookies by Sneha's Recipe
• Grill Cake (and Vanilla Cake Recipe) by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Lentil Mushroom Feta Calzones by Food Lust People Love
• Lobster Roll Pasta Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Mayo-less Tuna Salad by Our Good Life

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

Pin these lentil mushroom feta calzones!

 .