Cheese Tray with Rosemary Flat bread Recipe

There is nothing that I love more than being put to work in the kitchen when I go to someone's home! Last night my hubby and I went to one of my former adviser's home and had a great time. As soon as we walked through the door I was making homemade avocado fettuccine with her 7 year old boy. Who by the way has red hair just like one of my nephews which just makes him all the more endearing!! The irony of my loving this is that I rarely relinquish control myself. I almost always finish 3/4ths of what needs to be accomplished before anyone ever walks in the door, so that I can focus on enjoying the people and have a clean kitchen. Maybe next time I will choose a different route. Now to the food! I chose to bring a cheese plate because I knew that we were likely to have wine with dinner and because I didn't know what we were having. My thought being that it was likely to go well with a lot of things. I made Rosemary Flatbread from Smitten Kitchen a food blog that is amazing and was introduced to me by a friend not long ago. She also listed a flatbread with thyme, honey, and sea salt that sounds amazing! I chose to pair it with slices of granny smith apples, red bartlett pears, walnuts, honey, blue cheese, fontina (a favorite of mine for its smooth nutty taste), and camembert. I also added in a plain multigrain water cracker.

Rosemary Flatbread

Adapted from Gourmet, July 2008

1 3/4C unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary plus 2 (6-inch) sprigs
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 C water
1/3 C olive oil plus more for brushing
Flaky sea salt such as Maldon

1. Preheat oven to 450°F with a heavy baking sheet on rack in middle.

2. Stir together flour, chopped rosemary, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in center, then add water and oil and gradually stir into flour with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Knead dough gently on a work surface 4 or 5 times.

3. Divide dough into 3 pieces and roll out 1 piece (keep remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap) on a sheet of parchment paper into a 10-inch round (shape can be rustic; dough should be thin).

4. Lightly brush top with additional oil and scatter small clusters of rosemary leaves on top, pressing in slightly. Sprinkle with sea salt. Slide round (still on parchment) onto preheated baking sheet and bake until pale golden and browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer flatbread (discard parchment) to a rack to cool, then make 2 more rounds (1 at a time) on fresh parchment (do not oil or salt until just before baking). Break into pieces.

Flatbread can be made 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
~Sabrina