Bread of the Dead (Squid Ink Flatbread w/Mushrooms, Shallots & Herbs)

I'm not eating bread for the rest of this month. I've made this recipe so many times this week that I can barely look at these photos without feeling like I'll burst. Sure the first few times it was to get the flavors and ingredients right, and then to get the right shots. I really thought I was done because the photos looked great. It tasted great. The blog was written and I was just about to press publish for this darkly gorgeous mushroom flatbread when my husband said, "You know what you should've done? Instead of using these regular sliced mushrooms, why don't you make it with your mushroom skulls from a few years ago?" 

Hold up...stop the presses! I slowly moved my cursor away from the PUBLISH button and I sat there with mixed feelings. 
In my mind, I thought...Noooo! I can't possibly make this pizza again. No. More. Bread. No!
But, in my heart, I knew...I had to make it one more time with these super festive mushroom skulls. It was such a great idea that I couldn't believe I almost posted this recipe without them. Check out the recipe and how to below. 

About this recipe 
I like a good flatbread where the bread is soft but chewy with a crisp bottom that holds up the toppings well and gives a little crunch when you bite all the way through it, and this dough is just that. It also has squid ink, but don't let that scare you. It's just for color. The bread does not have a fishy taste or smell once baked. It will smell faintly of the sea while the dough is unbaked, but I promise you it won't taste like that once it's baked. 
I also used this beautiful Pesto Gouda instead of your typical mozzarella or parmesan. I think it adds an organic grassy look to the flatbread and packs a lot of pesto flavor.  I picked it up on-line from here.

I also topped them with an assortment of fresh herbs from my garden, like thyme, parsley, oregano, savory, and marjoram. Feel free to use your favorite herbs or what you have on hand.

And lastly, I drizzled a balsamic glaze over a few slices that I ate and really loved the acidic pop that added contrast to the earthy flavors. Here's an easy recipe if you'd like to drizzle it on. 
Balsamic Glaze
1 cup balsamic vinegar, reduced to 1/3 cup
honey (to taste)
~Over medium heat, reduce the balsamic vinegar to about 1/3 cup. Cool and add honey to taste.

Bread of the Dead (Squid Ink Flatbread w/Mushrooms, Shallots and Herbs)

Makes 4

Squid Ink Flatbread Dough
2 cups bread flour
2 t garlic powder
1 t salt
1 t active dry yeast
1 T olive oil + more to oil the bowl
1/2 t squid ink
1 cup warm water (110 degrees)

Stir together flour, garlic powder, salt and yeast in a medium bowl. Add the olive oil to flour mixture and lightly mix. Dissolve squid ink in the warm water and add to the flour mixture, and mix with a fork until it comes together into a shaggy dough. 
Use your hands to work the loose flour into your dough while in the bowl until its mostly incorporated. Turn it out on a floured surface and knead lightly, forming the dough into a ball.  Clean and dry the bowl you used to mix the dough. Oil the bowl and place the dough in it and roll to coat the dough with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to double in volume. About 2 hours. 

While dough rises, grate cheese, prepare mushrooms skulls and shallot topping.
  
Mushroom Skulls
I used button mushrooms for the skulls and chopped up some baby bella mushrooms to give the mushroom topping more flavor, but if you can find small baby bella mushrooms, they can also be used to make the skulls. 

Create two skull faces on opposite sides of each mushroom using a straw to form the large eye holes. Use a pairing knife to cut the nose holes and to scrape down the stem to create teeth. Trim the stems if desired. Cut mushroom in half creating two skull halves. Save the mushroom eye holes and saute them with the mushroom caps.  

Flatbread Toppings
2 T butter 
4 oz. small mushroom skulls, halved
1/2 cup shallots, thinly sliced (can substitute with red onion)
4-5 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 T cooking sherry
1 t fresh thyme leaves
salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup jarred pesto sauce (such as Classico)
1 cup Green Pesto Gouda (I purchased it here- link)
Mixed fresh herbs (Use your favorites or whatever you have on hand) 
Optional topping: Balsamic Glaze (see below)

Melt butter in a large skillet, add mushroom skulls and saute about 5-8 minutes. Add shallots, garlic and sherry and continue to cook until all the liquid has cooked down, about 3-5 minutes more. Add thyme leaves, salt and pepper and set aside. 

Balsamic Glaze
1 cup balsamic vinegar, reduced to 1/3 cup
honey (to taste)
~Over medium heat, reduce the balsamic vinegar to about 1/3 cup. Cool and add honey to taste. Set aside and drizzle over flatbread if desired.

Preheat
Place a pizza stone or a rimless cookie sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and preheat oven to 500 degrees. 

Back to the dough...
When dough has doubled, remove from bowl and cut into 4 equal pieces and shape into a ball pinching edges together. Push in a circular motion to form a taut ball. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Brush each with oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes. (Note: Only 2 of the 4 are pictured below)

Cut a length of parchment paper. Coat hands with oil and gently pull one piece of dough into an 6 inch length. Place it on the parchment paper and gently dimple surface of dough with fingertips and then flatten with your palms into a  8" by 4" oval. Repeat with remaining dough. Brush each flatbread generously with pesto sauce, grated Pesto Gouda cheese, and the mushroom and shallot mixture. 

Slip parchment onto the pizza stone, or cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. To remove from the oven, pull the parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool 5 minutes then cut crosswise into triangles. Top with your favorite fresh herbs and drizzle with the Balsamic glaze. Repeat for remaining flatbread dough.  Bone Appetit!

More Halloween bread recipes:

Deathcap Kabobs

Brimstone Bread

Tortured Soul Rolls

Pumpkin Challah Bread

I used to be able to pick up some Challah bread from my local farmers market every few weeks from one of my favorite bakers, Rob at Arising Dough. Unfortunately, he moved to another Farmers Market over a year ago and I regrettably I haven't made it over to visit his new market. (sigh.) In addition to his delicious sourdough bread, Rob makes Challah bread in all sorts of flavors and one of my favorite's is his Fall Spices Challah. It is absolutely divine. I came across this Pumpkin Challah bread recipe and it reminded me of his amazing bread and I decided to give it a try. The added pumpkin puree makes this already soft bread extra moist and soft but still dense enough to hold up to butter and jam or even soaking overnight in eggs and cream to make the most amazing French Toast. I personally like it with butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and a cup of coffee, but I also made some curried croutons with it to top salads and soups! Absolutely perfect, but next time, I'll forgo bread making and go get the original from Arising Dough. Happy Holidays!

Pumpkin Challah Bread

Recipe from Taste of Home Pumpkin Cookbook

1 pkg (1/4oz.) active dry yeast
3 T warm water (110-115 degrees)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 large egg
2 T brown sugar
2 T softened butter
1 t. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 t. salt
2-2 1/2 cups bread flour

Egg wash
1 egg + 1 T water

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin. egg. brown sugar, pie spice, salt, yeast mixture and 1 cup flour. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. It will be a bit sticky.

Turn dough on a floured surface and knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. 
Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled. About an hour. 

Punch down dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, divide into thirds. Roll each into a 16-inch rope.  PLace ropes on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and braid. 

Pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Cover with a kitchen towel;let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 45 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare egg wash by mixing water and egg in a small bowl. Brush over loaf. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool.

Other recipes to try:

Garlic Cheese Bread

French Bread

Pumpkin Crumb Muffins

Tandoori Chicken Pizza

They say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I agree. 

We have a gem of a pizza place here in Lakewood called, Laventina's Pizza. They make the most amazing Tandoori Chicken Pizza. It's loaded with beautiful Indian spices, not only in their chicken, but in a delicious Tandoori paste that replaces the usual pizza sauce. It's then topped with cheese, Tandoori chicken, fresh tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, and thinly sliced jalapenos that lend just the right amount of heat. 
It is absolutely superb! So when I taste something this delicious, I want to try to recreate it here at home. So , if you aren't local to Lakewood and can't pick up the original, here is my humble attempt to recreate Laventina's Tandoori Chicken Pizza. Enjoy!

Note: Plan to marinate the chicken overnight for best flavor. Also I used naan flatbread instead of making my own pizza dough and used Serrano chilies instead of jalapenos. 

Tandoori Chicken Pizza

Tandoori Masala Spice Mix (recipe from Pepperscale)
3 T paprika
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Before use, heat powder in a large skillet for 30 seconds to 1 minute stirring until fragrant. Do not heat longer than a minute you do not want the oils to burn.

Tandoori Chicken
1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
salt and pepper
1 cup Greek yogurt
2-3 T  Tandoori Spice mix

Marinate Chicken Thighs- Salt and pepper boneless, skinless chicken thighs and place in a plastic ziploc bag. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of  Greek yogurt and about half of the prepared tandoori masala spice mix (2-3T) Add yogurt mixture to the chicken in the ziplock bag and squsih around to coat chicken. Refrigerate 2 hours or over night. Grill chicken and then chop into bite-sized pieces.

Tandoori Paste Pizza Sauce
2 T Tandoori Spice mix
2 T olive oil
2-3 T ketchup*
salt (to taste)

Heat spice mix with olive oil in a skillet until fragrant. 20-30 seconds. Add ketchup until mixture resembles a paste. Add salt to taste and set aside. 
*secret ingredient 😉

Tandoori Chicken Pizza
6 Naan Bread
Tandoori Paste Pizza Sauce (above)Tandoori Chicken, grilled and diced (above)
3-4 cups Mozzarella cheese, grated
2 small tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1-2 small serrano pepper, thinly sliced, seeds removed
cilantro leaves
red pepper flakes (to taste)

Assemble pizzas: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Brush Naan flatbread generously with Tandoori paste. Add mozzarella cheese, chicken, onions, tomatoes and serrano pepper slices. Place in oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is bubbly. Garnish with cilantro leaves and red pepper flakes to taste for more heat.

Other recipes to try:

Thai Chicken Enchiladas

Spicy Pork Wonton Tacos

Vegetable Ceviche

Pumpkin Crumb Muffins

 
I do most, if not all, of my baking during the holidays. I actually love to bake, but rarely do it. So as the holiday baking season begins, I can't let Thanksgiving go by with out a pumpkin spiced baked good. These Pumpkin Crumb Muffins are to die for. The muffin itself is just sweet enough. Sometimes pumpkin muffins are too sweet for this girl. This muffin is perfect because the cake itself is sweet, but not too sweet, and super moist with the most deliciously buttery, sweet, pie-spiced, streusel topping. Great as a dessert or with your morning coffee. Confession...I ate these every day for a week with my morning coffee. So good but completely not low calorie. Now I remember why I don't bake too much, I end up eating it all myself. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Crumb Muffins

Recipe from The Cafe Sucre Farine
Makes 12

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup milk (I used cream)
1/3 cup melted butter
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla

Crumb topping
1 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 T sugar
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp salt
7 Tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray muffin pan or line with cupcake liners. Combine flour, sugars, baking soda, salt and pie spice in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine pumpkin puree, cream, melted bitter, eggs and vanilla in a small bowl and mix well.  Make a well in the flour and add the pumpkin mixture and stir just until the flour disappears.

For the crumb topping, combine, flour, sugars, pie spice and salt and mix well. Add melted butter and stir with a fork until large crumbs form.

Using a large cookie scoop, scoop mixture into muffin liners or prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle generously over muffin batter.

Place muffins in your preheated 400 degree oven and then immediately turn down the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake for 20 minutes, then cover with foil and bake another 5-7 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Other recipes to try:

Cranberry Orange Buttermilk Cake

Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

Pumpkin Spice Latte Ice Cream

Bloody Burger Bites

Remember a few year's ago when Burger King® came out with their Halloween Whopper® with the black bun? It was so popular that it completely sold out in a week so I never had a chance to try one. It's been two years and I'm still waiting for them to bring that baby back so I can give it a try. Not being one to wait any longer, I decided to create my own red bun version of Halloween Burgers with these Bloody Burger Bites. Made with homemade slider buns, grilled onions, and a decadently delicious bloody burger sauce. Four perfectly messy bites of this sinister slider will be a crowd pleaser, just remember to have lots of napkins on hand.
These are definitely on the menu at my Halloween party this year. Make the buns, sauce and onions ahead of your party and then assemble right before party time! Easy and delicious! Happy Halloween!

Bloody Burger Bites

Makes 24

Slider Buns
(adapted recipe from Taste of Home)

2 T active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees)
3 T vegetable oil
3 T sugar
1-1 1/2 t red food coloring
1 egg
1 t. salt
3- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, mix yeast, warm water, food coloring, sugar and oil and let sit for 5 minutes. Measure out flour and salt in another small bowl and set aside. Add egg to the yeast mixture and then add flour/salt and mix until a soft dough forms. On a floured surface, knead dough for about 5 minutes. 

Using a kitchen scale measure out 0.5 oz of dough for each slider bun. Roll into a ball and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Let rise for 15 minutes or until the dough doubles. Note: If you'd like to add sesame seeds to the tops of your buns, brush tops of buns with an egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds prior to baking.
Bake in a 425 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.

Bloody Burger Sauce

(adapted recipe from Teri Appleton Villanueva)

3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 T soy sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
ground pepper
red food coloring

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Grilled Onions
4 yellow onions, sliced into rings
3 T unsalted butter 
salt and pepper (to taste)

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and cook until browned and softened. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Burger Bites
2 lbs 80/20 ground beef
seasoned salt/pepper
garlic powder

Make 24 small patties. Season with seasoned salt, pepper and garlic powder. Grill or pan fry.
Assemble Bloody Burger bites with generous amounts of Bloody Burger Sauce and grilled onions! Arrange on a platter and serve with Bloody Marys! 

Last Bite...

 For Halloween Decorating Ideas click here.