(PLS TURN ON ENG SUBTITLES)
Method:
Mix a teaspoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of flour, dried yeast (8 g) in warm milk (230 ml) and let it activate. Pour into a bowl with flour (380 g), add oil (60 ml), a teaspoon of salt and make a dough, brush with oil, cover with foil and wait until it doubles in volume.
Wash and peel the pumpkin. Put the peels aside. Remove the seeds from the pumpkin, cut it into smaller cubes and boil it in water for 15 minutes. Drain immediately and let cool. Mix half of it with garlic for puree. Combine the remaining cubes with chopped chili pepper, thyme leaves, olive oil (2 tablespoons).
Drizzle the pumpkin skins with olive oil, sprinkle with ground smoked paprika and place on a baking sheet in an oven heated to 170 °C. Bake for approx. 15 minutes until crispy.
Coat the baking sheet with oil and spread the dough with oiled fingers. Cover again and leave to rise for 20 minutes. Then spread pumpkin-garlic puree, decorate with pieces of pumpkin, thyme and chili. Season with black pepper, sumac, salt, lightly sprinkle with olive oil and place in an oven heated to 180 °C. Bake until crispy for approximately 35 minutes or according to the thickness of the dough.
After it has partially cooled, cut it, decorate the flatbread with fresh herbs, sprouts and baked pumpkin chips.
NOTES: Pumpkin flatbread, unlike traditional slovak “báleš” or “osúch”, contain oil in main ingredients, so it is closer to focaccia or savoury Italian pies, if you decorate it with tomatoes or cheese, it will remind you of pizza. The pumpkin version doesn’t contain sour cream, but feel free to add cheese and decorate it with fresh salad or sprouts after baking. Báleš tastes perfectly with creamy soups.
🍽 12 pcs ⏱ 50 min 🛒 SHOPPING LIST:
☉ butternut squash 1 pc
☉ all purpose flour 380 g
☉ dried yeast 8 g
☉ milk 230 ml
☉ virgin olive oil 60 ml + for pouring
☉ sugar 1 tsp
☉ chili pepper 1 pc
☉ fresh thyme 4 stalks
☉ cloves of garlic 2 pcs
☉ salt, black pepper, sumac, smoked paprika
decor alternatives: sprouts, perilla, cherry tomatoes, micro greens, cheese