Broccoli Flatbread with Ricotta and Olives
Broccoli flatbread with ricotta and olives is a savory, satisfying crowd-pleaser, whether you serve it as a quick and easy family dinner or as part of an appetizer buffet.
Servings: 8
Calories: 313kcal
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, divided
- 6 large garlic cloves chopped
- 16 ounces (464 grams) frozen broccoli florets
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup (40 grams) grated parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 garlic naan
- 1 cup (250 grams) fresh ricotta cheese
- ½ cup (113 grams) pitted green olives, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Warm two tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat in a medium pot.
- Add garlic and cook until very fragrant, about a minute.
- Add broccoli, water, salt, and red pepper flakes.
- Stir, cover, and adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook until broccoli breaks down easily when pressed with a spatula or wooden spoon, about 30 minutes.
- Off the heat, mash to a coarse puree. Stir in half of the parmesan and the lemon juice.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F with a rack in the center.
- Brush naan with remaining olive oil. Spread ¼ of the ricotta onto each naan.
- Transfer directly to oven rack and bake directly for 10 minutes, until naan is crisp on the underside and ricotta is heated through.
- Spread broccoli mixture evenly over naan. Sprinkle with olives, remaining parmesan, and pepper.
- Cut into wedges and serve.
Notes
- Frozen broccoli works like a charm in this recipe. It's easy to keep on hand and simple to work with. You can use florets, petite florets, cuts, or chopped — whatever you've got. You can use fresh broccoli instead if you prefer.
- Garlic naan makes an easy, flavorful base for these fabulous flatbreads. Brushing them with olive oil and baking them directly on the oven rack crisps them up beautifully on the outside, leaving them tender on the inside. You can use a different flavor of naan or another type of tender but sturdy flatbread if you prefer.
- I like to use full-fat ricotta for the best flavor and texture.
- Choose a good-quality, freshly grated parmesan cheese. It adds a ton of nuanced savoriness. If it's important to you that this dish be vegetarian, be sure to use a parmesan made without animal rennet.
- You can use any green olives that you like. It's easiest to start with pitted ones. I tend to gravitate toward briny cerignolas marinated with garlic and lemon.
- You can make the broccoli mixture up to a week in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze it for up to a year. Bake and assemble the flatbreads right before serving.
- Store any assembled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, and reheat in the oven or toaster oven.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 32.8g | Protein: 13.7g | Fat: 15.2g | Fiber: 5.6g