Flatbread with hummus, purple-sprouting broccoli, basil and pomegranate dressing

Preparation time
30 mins to 1 hour

Cooking time
10 to 30 mins

Serves
Serves 4

Dietary
Vegetarian

By Frederick Forster
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the flatbread

500g/1lb 2oz strong plain flour, plus extra for dusting
10g/⅓oz table salt
10g/⅓oz instant dried yeast
30ml/1fl oz olive oil, plus extra for frying
300ml/10fl oz water

For the hummus

650g/1lb 7oz cooked chickpeas (drained from a can)
20g/¾oz crushed garlic
2 tbsp light tahini
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch ground cumin
2 lemons, juice only
100ml/5fl oz olive oil
150g/5½oz liquid from the chickpea can

For the dressing and broccoli

150ml/5fl oz olive oil
10 small purple-sprouting broccoli florets
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
pinch ground cumin
10 good-quality black olives (no stones)
10 good-quality green olives (no stones)
½ red onion, thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

2 small figs, quartered
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
20 basil leaves
1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, sliced into wedges

Method

To make the flatbread, mix the flour with the salt and the yeast and put into a free-standing mixer machine with a dough hook. Add the olive oil and then add 280ml/9½fl oz of water while the machine is turning. Work until the mixture comes together as a dough – you may need to add up to a further 200ml/7fl oz of water.
Once all together, remove from the machine and knead on a clean work surface to a smooth dough (5–10 minutes). Place in a lightly floured bowl and cover. Leave to prove until doubled in size.
Knock back the dough on a lightly floured surface and then roll into ball. Press down to make a large disc. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat, add a dash of oil and fry until nicely browned on both sides and not too hard.
To make the hummus, place all the ingredients together (except the chickpea liquid) in a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Add some of the chickpea water if the hummus is too thick – you may not need it all.
To make the dressing and broccoli, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Heat a dash of the oil in a frying pan and fry the broccoli florets for a couple of minutes and then place in a bowl. Add the remaining olive oil, and the balsamic vinegar, pomegranate seeds, cumin, olives, onion and salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place the figs onto a baking tray, drizzle the balsamic vinegar on top and warm in the oven for a couple of minutes.
To serve, spread the hummus on the flatbread and then spoon the broccoli dressing on top of the flatbread. Arrange the warm figs on top and then scatter over the fresh herbs.
Cut into wedges and serve with the lemon slices.