Caramelized Onion And Bean Flatbread

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 35 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 large onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 6 -8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 20 ounces prepared whole wheat pizza dough, thawed if frozen
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground coarse black pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can beans, rinsed
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons wine vinegar
• 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup finely shredded smoked gouda cheese or 1 cup cheddar cheese
• nonstick cooking spray
• pepitas (can be found in most health-food stores) or toasted pumpkin seeds or toasted chopped pine nuts

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 450°f.
• 2 place oven rack in the lowest positions.
• 3 combine 2-1/2 tablespoons oil, onions and salt in a medium saucepan.
• 4 cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 7-9 minutes.
• 5 now add 1-1/2 tablespoons more of oil, a little bit at a time, and add mushrooms and cook about 4 minutes longer.
• 6 liquid needs to be absorbed.
• 7 cook for another 5-7 minutes reducing heat to medium-low, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until very soft and golden.
• 8 meanwhile, roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to the size of the baking sheet.
• 9 bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8-10 minutes.
• 10 stir oregano and pepper into the onion-mushroom mixture.
• 11 transfer, half the onion mixture to a small bowl.
• 12 add beans to the remaining onion mixture;, cook over medium heat, stirring often, until heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
• 13 transfer the bean mixture to a food processor, add water and vinegar and pulse until a coarse paste forms.
• 14 spread the bean paste over the pizza crust.
• 15 top with the reserved onion, tomatoes,cheese and pepitas,or sunflower seeds or pine nuts, if using.
• 16 bake on the bottom rack until the crust is crispy and golden and the cheese is melted, 11-13 minutes.
• 17 slice and serve.