Garlic Flatbread with Turkey Curry & Cucumber Relish

Continuing with my personal contest of making 30 Rachael Ray recipes in 30 days.... here's two more - recipe number 8 & 9 of 30. 

I made this in the place of tacos for Monday night football last week. Perfect. Fun. Easy. Family friendly. I think I had used curry once before this - so it was a tiny itsy bitsy intimating. Isn't weird how something like a ground up spice can be intimidating. But this recipe couldn't be easier or healthier. I highly recommend the turkey curry and flatbread if you have a little extra time or make the flatbread a day ahead and just store it in a gallon size freezer bag. I promise the flatbread just tastes an hr of time so if you have an hr to make dinner on the weekend, do it. Tastes like 100% better than the store bought stuff. Make the store bought flatbread taste really bland. Plus if you aren't a fan of garlic use another seasoning its extremely versatile. I made the flat bread recipe twice since I found the flatbread recipe in an old Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine. The turkey curry recipe is from a June/July 2007 magazine issue. Love the fresh bread smell in the house too. 

Homemade Flatbread

Serves 4-8 

1 hr rising time + 12-15 minutes active cooking time

Ingredients:

1 Tb sugar
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 package)
1/4 cup lukewarm water
3 cups of flour
1 Tb salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup buttermilk, heated 10 seconds in the microwave or left on the counter for a few minutes
Unsalted butter
seasoning of choice: garlic powder, roasted garlic or another (crushed dried rosemary,oregano, cardamom, or thyme)

Directions:
1. In a small bowl combine 1 Tb sugar with the yeast and warm water. Let it stand for 5 minutes to activate the yeast. Should look foamy and cloudy water. 
2. Into a mixer bowl mix together (with a paddle attachment if using a stand mixer) the flour, baking powder, and salt on low speed. Add 2 Tb melted butter and the slightly warmed buttermilk, and the yeast mixture last.
3. Switch to a dough hook if using a stand mixer, and add either 2 Tbs roasted garlic or 1-2 tsp powdered garlic or seasoning of your choice. Knead for 5 minutes on low until dough is smooth. 
4. Grease a bowl with butter or sprayed with cooking spray. Put the dough in the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap for 1 hr to let it rise. 
5.  To cook them up: Separate the dough into 8 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough pieces out one at a time. Aim for 6 inches or bigger - pretty thin. Spray the pan with cooking spray unless using a cast iron skillet. Carefully lay the dough one at a time in the hot skillet and cook for 1 minute and flip and 1 1/2 minutes on the other side. As soon as the bread is done sprinkle with salt and/or spread on some butter. Butter is more if you are eating it with chicken or meat like a roll instead of like a shell with Turkey Curry (recipe below).

*Option: Make it like a dessert - If making it as a sweet dessert don't use any sort of savory seasoning. Sprinkle each piece of cooked bread with powdered sugar as it comes out of the pan. Super yummy with honey as well. 

Turkey Curry with Cucumber Relish

Serves 4

Prep time 10 minutes, cooking time 15 minutes

ingredients:

1 zucchini, finely diced

1 red pepper, finely diced

2 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs flour

Beef broth

white wine

1 lb of ground turkey

1 onion, finely diced

1 large tomato

flat leaf parsley

lemon zest from half of a lemon

juice from half of a lemon juice

salt & pepper to taste

1 Tbs curry powder

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet to medium. Cook the onion, zucchini, and red pepper with the curry powder. Stir often. Cook for about 5 minutes until everything is tendercrisp. 

2. Add in the turkey and cook until its browned. Break up big pieces as necessary.  

3. Once turkey has those lovely browned bits (meat is caramelized) sprinkle the flour over everything. Let the flour cook out for 2 minutes. 

4. Lower the heat to low. Deglaze your pan with 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup of either beef broth or white wine or both. As the liquid hits the hot pan and creates steam use your spatula to get all those meats bits unstuck from the bottom of your pan.  

5. Cook over low heat and stir until meat mixture has thickened.  Serve with store bought OR the amazing homemade flatbread seen above.  

6. In a bowl combine the chopped parsley, lemon zest, tomato, and lemon juice. Serve it on the side for people to top their filled flatbreads with. Gives the dish a wonderful freshness. 

There two new recipes with endless ideas. I hope you try and eat and enjoy them. Change up taco night or sandwich night for something easy and fun with good fall veggies. Roasted squash or pumpkin, chopped into bite size pieces would be good additions with huge nutritional benefits. 

Eat well. 

From my kitchen to yours