BBQ Mushroom Flatbread with Chive Cream & Homemade Spelt Dough

Step 1

In a medium bowl, combine the warm water, natural sugar and yeast. Lightly stir ingredients together and set aside until the top of the mixture appears foamy.

Step 2

To the bowl, add the light spelt flour, sea salt, and the olive oil. Lightly stir the ingredients together until you have a sticky, unified dough.

Step 3

Lightly flour a clean surface and scrape the dough out onto it. Knead the dough by hand until you have a smooth but slightly tacky-feeling ball, about 4-5 minutes. Keep flouring your working surface if you find that the dough is sticking.

Step 4

Grease a medium bowl with olive oil and drop your ball of dough into it. Roll the dough around to coat in the oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel. Place the bowl in a warm place for 2 hours, or until the dough has at least doubled in size.

Step 5

Lightly flour a working surface. Scrape the risen dough out onto the floured surface.

Step 6

At this point, you can stretch/roll the dough out to your desired shape and cook your flatbread/pizza as you wish.

Step 7

In an upright high speed blender, combine the sunflower seeds, apple cider vinegar, chives, onion powder, salt, pepper, hot sauce (if using), and water. Blend the mixture on high until totally smooth, adding more water if necessary to get a pourable consistency. Check the chive cream for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Set aside.

Step 8

Lightly flour a baking sheet (ideally a half sheet--about 18x13 inches). Flour a working surface on your counter. Place the dough on your working surface. Sprinkle it with flour and coat a rolling pin in flour as well. Roll out the dough into the shape of a rectangle, about 18-by-13 inches. Carefully transfer the dough to your floured baking sheet. Gently spread it to the corners and then cover it with a clean kitchen towel. Let it rise for 30 minutes.

Step 9

Heat the tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms to the skillet and spread them out. Let them sit for a full minute. Season the mushrooms with pepper and stir. Let them sit for another full minute. Once the mushrooms are glistening, season them with salt and stir. The mushrooms will begin to seep out a lot of liquid. Keep stirring them here and there. Once most of the liquid has dissipated, add the BBQ sauce and stir to combine. Once the BBQ sauce has reduced by about a third, remove the mushrooms from the heat.

Step 10

Preheat your grill to high. Brush the surface of your dough rectangle with oil. Carefully transfer it to the grill with the oil side facing down. It is VERY hard to do this perfectly, so just embrace the irregular shape and stretch it as much as you can before it sets. Wipe out the excess flour from the baking sheet.

Step 11

Once the dough is down on the grill, quickly brush the other side of the dough with oil. Close the lid of the grill and cook the flatbread until it puffs up and the underside is quite browned and charred in spots, about 2 minutes.

Step 12

Loosen the corners of the flatbread from the grill grates with some tongs. Then, carefully flip it over. Quickly spoon and spread the BBQ mushroom mixture out over the surface of the flatbread. Add extra sauce here if you like. Scatter the red onions over the top as well. Close the lid on the grill and cook until the underside of the dough browns evenly and gets charred in spots, about 2 minutes.

Step 13

Carefully transfer the cooked BBQ mushroom flatbread to your wiped out baking sheet or a cutting board.

Step 14

Cut the BBQ mushroom flatbread into manageable pieces. Drizzle the flatbread with the chive cream and top with the arugula, extra chopped chives/flowers, sunflower seeds, and chili flakes. Serve immediately.