Miso Roasted Veggie Flatbreads with Green Tahini Yogurt

I cannot remember exactly when I first starting cooking with miso, but I think it was around the time when my dad was struggling with cancer and my mom had been experimenting with the macrobiotic diet to promote healing.  Those two years were pivotal in my learning about the role of food in our overall well being and I became much more conscious of health and wellness.  Back then we used miso mostly in soups and Asian cooking, but more recently it has become a favorite way to add that umami taste to a myriad of foods.  Miso is rich in nutrients and because it is fermented it also contains probiotics.  With its growing familiarity there are several varieties widely available in stores ranging from white miso (the most mild) to red miso (much more assertive).  I usually use white miso as I find it adds plenty of flavor without being overwhelming.

Here some roasted squash and eggplant cubes are tossed with a miso sesame sauce, making them good enough to eat on their own, although they become even better when drizzled with a generous slurry of this green tahini yogurt sauce adapted from my friend Sophie over at The Green Life.  I love a good flatbread and I made these spelt flatbreads to be thin but sturdy enough to hold up to the roasted squash and eggplant topping.  Simple as it may sound, the combination here is just divine.  With the extra cold weather here to stay for a while, I do hope that cozying up with some warm roasted veggie flatbreads sounds as good to you as it does to me.

Miso Roasted Veggie Flatbreads with Green Tahini Yogurt

• Yield: 2 flatbreads, serving 4

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant, about 1 pound, diced into 3/4 inch cubes
• 1 butternut squash, about 1 1/2 pounds, peeled and seeds removed, diced into 3/4 inch cubes
• 1 red onion, sliced into rings
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Miso Sesame Sauce

• 2 tablespoons white miso
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup

Green Tahini Yogurt Sauce

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup packed parsley leaves
• 1/3 cup packed cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons water

Spelt Flatbreads (recipe follows)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. In a large bowl, toss the eggplant, squash, and onions with olive oil. Divide the vegetables onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets and spread in a single layer. (It may be tempting to crowd the vegetables onto one baking sheet, but vegetables will steam rather than roast if the pan is overcrowded.)
3. Roast vegetables until they soften and turn golden around the edges, about 30 minutes. Stir halfway to ensure even roasting.
4. While vegetables are roasting, whisk together the ingredients for the miso sesame sauce. Set aside. In a food processor or blender, add the ingredients for the green tahini yogurt sauce and blend until smooth. Set aside.
5. Divide miso sauce between the two pans and toss vegetables with the sauce until evenly coated. Return pans to the oven to bake for another minute just to allow the sauce to settle in.
6. Arrange roasted vegetables over the two flatbreads, leaving a small border around the edges. Drizzle with green tahini yogurt sauce and serve immediately.

Notes

miso sesame sauce inspired byMy New Roots
green tahini sauce adapted from The Green Life

Spelt Flatbreads

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups whole spelt flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons warm water, about 105 F degrees
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

Instructions

1. Stir the yeast into the warm water and let sit for a few minutes, until yeast becomes foamy.
2. Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attached. With the stand mixing running, gradually pour in the water and yeast and continue to knead just until the dough comes together and is smooth. Spelt flour should not be overworked so be careful not to knead for too long.
3. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise at room temperature until dough has doubled in size, about 1 1/2-2 hours.
4. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Roll dough thinly into a rough oval shape. If dough springs back after rolling, allow the dough to rest for a few minutes, and try shaping again.
5. Preheat a griddle over high heat. Melt a few teaspoons of ghee or coconut oil and cook flatbreads on griddle, about 3 minutes per side until brown and golden in spots. Alternatively, flatbreads can be baked in 500 F degree oven for about 5 minutes.