Crispy Rosemary Asiago Flatbread

Confession time. I did not acquire the pasta roller set for my Kitchen Aid mixer to make pasta. I actually did it to make crackers. But then I got intimidated, certain the dough would stick (not being intended for a pasta roller) and finked out of trying it.


What a fool I can be. This was so easy, so simple, so delicious--and like many simple but intimidating culinary adventures--so impressive when finished. Run, do not walk, to trying this. And get creative with your flavoring--try other herbs or seeds, a different cheese or even no cheese. If you do not use cheese, I recommend using a bit more salt when you sprinkle on your flatbreads (although the salt should be to taste either way, which is why no amount is listed).

Crispy Rosemary Asiago Flatbread
Adapted from Wild Yeast (from Savory Baking From The Mediterranean, Anissa Helou)

150 g AP flour
150 g semolina
1 T chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for sprinkling
1 T chia seeds, optional (they add nutrition but not much flavor)
1 t salt
170 g lukewarm water
Asiago cheese for sprinkling (I grated it onto the flatbreads, hence am unsure of amount, maybe 1-2 oz)
extra virgin olive oil for brushing
coarse sea salt salt for topping

Preheat the oven, with baking stone or cookie sheet, to 450 F. I used a cookie sheet because my baking stone is puny.

Whisk together the flour, semolina, chia seeds (if using), rosemary and salt in a medium bowl. Add water and stir to incorporate into the dry ingredients. Turn the dough onto a clean unfloured counter and knead for 3 minutes. It should not be sticky. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15 minutes.

After resting, knead the dough for another 2 minutes. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.

Using a bench scraper, divide the dough into 12 or more pieces and form them into balls. Cover them. Cut a piece of parchment paper the approximate size of your baking stone and place on a clear area of your workspace.

Roll a ball of dough through a pasta roller, starting with the thickest setting and adjusting the thickness setting down with each successive pass, to the desired thinness. Alternatively, roll out as thin as possible with a rolling pin. Based on the Wild Yeast recommendation, I took it to level '7' on my Kitchen Aid pasta roller attachment.

Place the rolled flatbread onto the parchment. Repeat with as many flatbreads as will fit on the parchment (for me it was 2). Brush the flatbreads lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with rosemary and a small pinch of Kosher salt. Grate a scattering of Asiago cheese onto the flatbreads using a fine holed grater, such as a zester.

Transfer the breads, parchment and all, onto the preheated stone r cookie sheet. Bake until the edges are nicely brown and rippled, and the tops have golden brown patches, about 3 – 5 minutes. While one batch is baking, roll out the next batch.

Cool the baked breads on a wire rack. Break into pieces to serve.