Lavash Pizza With Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Goat Cheese
This pizza, made with the Iranian flatbread called lavash, is utterly simple to throw together, and I love the way the flavor of the tomatoes intensifies during their short time in the oven. Assemble the pizza just before baking.
This pizza, made with the Iranian flatbread called lavash, is utterly simple to throw together, and I love the way the flavor of the tomatoes intensifies during their short time in the oven. Assemble the pizza just before baking.
- Carbohydrate 0.23493625 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 13.5118175273894 g
- Fiber 0.0960625 g
- Protein 0.03969375 g
- Saturated Fat 1.86763250378192 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (14g)
- Sodium 0.429500000547787 mg
- Sugar 0.13887375 g
- Trans Fat 0.366087500741703 g
- Calories 120 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees, preferably with a pizza stone in it.
- Place the lavash on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the mozzarella over the lavash, and top with the tomato slices and onion. Arrange the goat cheese over and between the tomato slices. Sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Drizzle on the olive oil.
- Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the lavash is crisp and dark brown on the edges. Remove from the heat and serve; or allow to cool slightly, then serve. Cut with a pizza wheel or scissors.
Operating on a strict thirty-minute timeline forces culinary choices that prioritize high heat and thin layers over slow development. Lavash flatbread behaves differently than yeast-leavened dough, lacking the structural gluten network needed to support heavy toppings or pooled moisture. Thin Middle Eastern flatbreads dry out rapidly under thermal radiation, transforming into crisp, crackling bases if handled with restraint. Water content remains the primary enemy when working with unleavened sheets.
Cooks frequently ruin flatbread pizzas by overloading them with watery vegetables and wet cheeses, which prevents the base from crisping and leaves the center flaccid. Plum tomatoes contain excessive free liquid that must be managed by slicing them evenly and allowing excess juices to drain briefly on paper towels before assembly. Grated fresh mozzarella releases less surface moisture during baking than thick slices of fresh mozzarella packed in liquid. Preheating a baking stone to 375 degrees Fahrenheit ensures conductive bottom heat transfers instantly to the lavash, setting the starch before humidity compromises the structure.
Assembling the flatbread directly on a parchment-lined baking sheet or hot peel prevents tearing when transferring the fragile dough into the oven. Spreading the grated mozzarella into an even base layer acts as a moisture barrier between the tomatoes and the bread. Distributing crumbled goat cheese across the top adds necessary fat and tang, while fresh thyme leaves release essential oils as they toast in the dry oven heat. Bake for fifteen to twenty minutes until the perimeter turns dark brown and rigid. Cutting the finished flatbread requires kitchen shears or a sharp pizza wheel to prevent the brittle crust from shattering uncontrollably.
Leftover portions lose their crisp texture rapidly due to ambient moisture absorption. Reheating day-old pieces in a dry skillet over medium heat for two minutes restores bottom crispness far more effectively than using a microwave.
