Beetroot dip + flatbreads recipe

For this month’s recipe I am taking advantage of the last of the winter veg. We have been getting a lot of beetroot in our Locavore veg box, and I was getting a bit tired of just roasting them. The dip has a fragrant middle eastern flavour to it and is just such a stunning colour. This month also features a cameo from my partner, Jonny, who is a self taught sourdough bread baker and makes all of our bread, including these delicious and easy flatbreads. I can also make them, but it is hard to photograph yourself in the process…

Beetroot dip

It is a good idea to make this at least one hour ahead to let the flavours develop.

Ingredients:

700g beetroots

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds

2 tbsp tahini

1 teaspoon za'atar

3 pinches of salt (possibly more)

Pepper to taste

5 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp yogurt (substitute for a squeeze of lemon juice to make this dip vegan)

How to:

1. Preheat oven to 190 degrees (fan), prick beets a few times all over and wrap them all together in tinfoil (or a small Dutch oven) so that the steam is circulated around the beets. Cook until soft in the middle, roughly 1 hour.

2. Cool and peel. They can be roasted the day before.

3. When cool enough blend them with the fennel seeds, tahini, olive oil, crushed garlic, salt and za'atar. Taste as you go, adding any more seasoning that you require.

4. Once blended transfer to a bowl and add some yogurt for acidity to cut the earthiness, you can also add lemon juice instead. You can store this in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days or so, but you’ll probably eat it!

Flatbreads

This makes roughly 6, increase ingredients equally to make more.

Ingredients:

50g butter

200 ml milk

300g white flour

Pinch of salt

How to:

1. Melt butter in a small pan with the milk. Put flour in a bowl, transfer the liquid into the bowl slowly to incorporate it. Knead the mixture until it's got a bouncy and smooth consistency.

2. Wrap the dough ball in cling film and rest in the fridge for at least 30 mins, can rest it for up to 2 hours though!

3. Once rested, split into 6 balls. Heat a dry skillet or heavy bottomed non stick pan, till it's at medium/high heat. You will fry (bake!) these in a dry pan to create that soft flatbread vibe.

4. Roll out a ball as thin as you can and slap it on the pan. Don't move it, wait between 45-60 secs (longer depending on your pan), the edges should be dry and center should still have moisture. Once you flip it, leave it again for 30-45 secs, then flip it back onto the first side and then the KEY is to the press it down in the middle with the spatula which creates the air pocket that helps the flatbread rise. Once you've done the puff, you can flip it again if you want more browning, but don't overdo it! These are soft and supple.

5. Transfer to a basket with a cloth, and cover the flatbreads in the cloth, that will help steam them further and keep them warm and delicious.

Then repeat the process with the rest of the dough.

For this meal we ate the flatbreads with the beetroot dip, honey roasted carrots, the lemony kale salad (recipe can be found in the archives!), our homemade swede/white cabbage sauerkraut and pickled red cabbage.

Enjoy!

Sofie is a member at Studio 70 and writes a monthly food blog here. She loves making and sharing food with the people she loves - for her, it is the ultimate expression of kindness and care.