Braised Leek Flatbread

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

If you know and love pissaladière—the Provençal tart made with slow-cooked onions, anchovies and black olives—think of this as its greener, milder cousin. Thinly sliced leeks and a bit of onion are braised in hard cider to create a luscious topping with the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity. The homemade dough comes together without much effort, and gets a boost of flavor and texture from olive oil and whole-wheat flour. You can use store-bought pizza dough instead and achieve similarly delicious results. Just make sure you have enough to cover a 13-inch by 17-inch sheet pan. I love adding a little richness by dotting the flatbread with fresh goat cheese, but leave it off if you’re feeding vegans and no one will miss it.

Serves 6

FOR THE DOUGH:
cups all-purpose flour
½ cup whole-wheat flour
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1½ teaspoons salt
1¼ cups warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for greasing

FOR THE TOPPING:
3 large leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the sheet pan
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt, and more to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ cup vegetable stock
1 cup semi-dry hard cider
Flatbread Dough (see recipe above or use store-bought pizza dough)
½ cup pitted, oil-cured olives
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (optional)

FOR THE DOUGH:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flours, yeast and salt. Add the warm water and olive oil and mix on low speed until a cohesive mass forms. Switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for about 3 minutes. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl and be soft and smooth. (Alternatively, mix dough and knead it by hand, about 10 minutes.)

Grease a large bowl with olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a draft-free place for 1½ hours, or until doubled in size.

FOR THE TOPPING:

Preheat oven to 400°F. 

Swish the sliced leeks around in a large bowl of cool water. Scoop them out of the water and drain on a clean towel. 

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add the onion, leeks, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–6 minutes or until the mixture softens and begins to release some liquid. Add the thyme and brown sugar and cook for another 4–6 minutes. 

Add the vegetable stock and the hard cider to the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. The leeks and onions should be very soft.

Uncover the skillet, turn the heat up to high and cook until almost all the moisture has evaporated. There should only be a small amount of syrupy liquid remaining in the pan. Taste the leeks and add more salt and pepper if you like.

Generously grease a 13-inch by 17-inch rimmed sheet pan with olive oil. Use your fingertips to press and stretch the dough until it reaches the corners of the pan, resting for a minute or two before trying again if it’s not stretching easily. Spread the leek mixture on top and dot with the olives and chunks of goat cheese (if using). Bake the flatbread for 25–30 minutes, or until lightly golden brown around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares.

This recipe appeared in the Fall 2024 issue as part of a larger story on Leeks.