It is finally summer which I am very excited about, but it also means our apartment becomes unbearably warm whenever it is a hot day. We live in an older apartment building and do not have air conditioning so we have had to come up with ways to cool down the place. One of the rules we stick to is not using the oven when it is too hot outside. In the summer I tend to crave lighter meals like salads and rice bowls more often anyway, but I am always trying to come up with new recipes that don’t require the oven. This is a variation of a recipe I made last year, but with a few more ingredients and still incredibly easy to make. A flatbread layered with fresh pesto, burrata, caramelized peaches and onions and topped with arugula, basil and balsamic.. I am seriously getting hungry writing this.

Summer Flatbread Recipe (yield 4)

4 pieces mini nan (I buy a large pack at Costco and freeze half)

2 ripe peaches

1 large red onion

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 cup pesto (see recipe below)

1 container fresh burrata

small bunch arugula

small bunch basil

salt and pepper

balsamic vinegar

Creamy Pesto Recipe

3/4 cups fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 cloves garlic, peeled

salt and pepper

1/3 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter

Add basil leaves, olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in food processor and blend until well combined. If the mixture is too thick and sticking to the sides add a very small amount of olive oil. Heat cream and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the pesto from the blender and whisk until a smooth consistency is created – set aside.

 

Flatbread Directions: 

Thinly slice red onion, set aside. Peel peaches and slice thinly. Add a drizzle of olive oil, the red onion and peaches to a sauté pan over medium heat. Add sugar and mix until a caramelization begins to form. Once this is done remove from heat and set aside.

Take pieces of nan and lightly brush with olive oil then place in a panini press or on a grill pan. Toast until lightly crisped on the edges. 

Remove from the pan and brush with pesto, pull pieces of burrata (just the inside not the skin) and spread evenly over the bread. Top with the peach and onion mixture, a few sprigs of arugula and basil, salt pepper and a dash of balsamic vinegar.

 

*note you don’t want to brush the pesto on the flatbread if it is extremely hot because the pesto will just melt and run down the sides.