WINTER SQUASH FLATBREAD WITH HUMMUS AND ZA’ATAR
Makes: 2 quarter-sheet flatbreads or 1 half-sheet flatbread
Squash:
4 cups (1 L) lukewarm water 4 tsp (20 ml) fine sea or table salt 2 1/2 lb (a little more than 1 kg) butternut or similarly firm-fleshed winter squash, peeled, seeds removed, and very thinly sliced, ideally on a mandoline
Assembly:
1-lb (454-g) unbaked, fully risen pizza dough 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil, plus more to oil pans and your fingertips
Spices:
3/4 tsp (4 ml) ground cumin 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground coriander 1/4 tsp (1 ml) Aleppo pepper or other mild chili flakes Freshly ground black pepper
To finish:
1/4 cup (60 ml) plain yogurt 1/4 cup (60 ml) hummus A couple squeezes of lemon juice Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Za’atar, for sprinkling
3 tbsp (45 ml) pine nuts, well toasted
Handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped
1. Prepare the squash: Combine the water and salt in a large bowl and add the sliced squash. Soak for 25 to 30 minutes, after which the squash slices will be soft and bendy. Drain them in a colander, and press out as much water as you can; then spread the squash out on paper towels to blot it further.
2. Heat the oven to 450 F (230 C). Brush either one 13-by-18-inch (33-by-45-cm) rimmed half sheet pan or two 9-by-13-inch (22.5-by33-cm) quarter sheet pans with olive oil. (Divide the dough in half, if using two pans.) With oiled fingertips, press, nudge, and stretch dough to fit the shape of the pan (s). Thin, imperfect dough is just fine here. If holes form, patch together.
3. In a large bowl, combine 4 tbsp (60 ml) olive oil, cumin, coriander, Aleppo pepper and several grinds of black pepper. Add the squash and toss to evenly coat. Spread the mixture over the dough, going all the way to the edges so that there are no uncovered spots. The edges brown more quickly, so you can make the squash slices a little thicker there.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash is golden at the edges but tender and baked through. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
5. To serve, stir together the yogurt and hummus, and add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. When the flatbread has cooled a bit, dollop the yogurt hummus mixture all over, and sprinkle with za’atar, pine nuts and herbs. Cut into desired shape.