Flatbread with Gorgonzola Dulce, Grapes and Walnuts

Walnuts are one of the superfoods for 2010, promising to "lower your cholesterol, boost brain power, help you sleep better and cope with stress. Walnuts may also prevent heart disease and fight cancer."   They're also loaded with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.   Most important, walnuts taste great whether raw, baked, toasted or sauteed. 

With walnuts, grapes, and a thick port reduction, this flatbread straddles the line between sweet and savory. We served it for dinner, but it could just as easily be a dessert or appetizer.  Regardless of its place on the menu, this is our hands-down favorite flatbread recipe (so far...).

 

Flatbread with Gorgonzola Dulce, Grapes and Walnuts

Ingredients

1                                Flatbread Dough
3/4           cups           cheap port wine
1              Tbs            butter
1/2           cup             walnuts
1/2           tsp              black pepper
1/2           tsp              sea salt
2              tsp              sugar
2              oz               gorgonzola dolce
1              cup             seedless red grapes, halved
                                  olive oil
                                   bread flour for rolling out dough

Procedure

1. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 500° for 1 hour.
2. Bring wine to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until reduced to 1/8 cup, about 15 minutes.  Cool.
3. Melt butter over medium until it sizzles, then add walnuts, pepper, salt and sugar.  Saute until well coated and lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat to cool.
4. Remove dough from refrigerator and leave at room temp for 15 minutes before rolling out on well-floured surface.  Roll to a thin round about 8" across.
5. Spread a thin layer of olive oil on flatbread.  Add about half the gorgonzola in small pats, then grapes.  Top with more cheese, then drizzle port sauce on top (you will probably have extra sauce -- you don't need to use it all).  Bake for 5 minutes or until done.  
6. As soon as you remove from oven, sprinkle walnuts on top and serve immediately.  If you're feeling bold, you can add the walnuts before baking the flatbread.  But they burn quickly at 500° so you have to really watch them closely.

If you like this, check our our other flatbread recipes:

• Flatbread with Roasted Beets, Goat Cheese and Chestnut Honey
• Flatbread with French Sorrel, Roasted Cauliflower and Crumbled Goat Cheese

And coming soon:

• Flatbread with Brussels Sprouts, Walnuts and Shaved Parmesan
• Flatbread with Broccoli Rabe and Manchego
• Flatbread with Chickpeas, Tomato and Feta