Mushroom Musakhan

This recipe is for Thin-Crust Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough, used as a base to create a delicious vegetarian version of the Palestinian dish, Mushroom Musakhan. The original Musakhan features chewy flatbread topped with roasted chicken, caramelized onions, pine nuts, and tangy sumac. In this adaptation, we substitute sautéed portobello mushrooms for the chicken, creating a meaty and flavorful dish that retains the essence of the traditional recipe.

MAKES TWO 15-INCH FLATBREADS, SERVES 4 TO 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 recipe Thin-Crust Whole-Wheat Pizza Dough (½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried, 4 garlic cloves minced, 1½ tablespoons sumac)
• 2 pounds onions, halved and sliced through the root end into ¼-inch-thick pieces
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 2 pounds portobello mushroom caps, gills removed, caps halved and sliced ½ inch thick
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
• Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Remove the prepared pizza dough from the refrigerator and divide it into two halves. Shape each half into a smooth and tight ball. Place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet, ensuring they are spaced at least 3 inches apart. Cover them loosely with greased plastic wrap and let them stand at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with the baking stone placed on the lower-middle rack. Allow the baking stone to heat for at least 30 minutes to an hour.
3. In a bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of olive oil with minced oregano, garlic, sumac, allspice, and cardamom.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Stir in the brown sugar and ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the sliced onions and stir to coat. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften and release moisture, approximately 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the onions turn deeply browned and slightly sticky, which should take around 35 to 40 minutes. If needed, adjust the heat accordingly to prevent scorching or sizzling.
5. Clear the center of the skillet, add the oregano-garlic mixture, and cook for about 30 seconds, mashing it into the onions until fragrant. Stir the mixture thoroughly into the onions.
6. Transfer the onion mixture to a food processor and pulse until it reaches a jam-like consistency (about 5 pulses). Transfer it to a bowl, stir in the pine nuts, and season with salt and pepper according to taste.
7. Wipe the now-empty skillet clean with paper towels and heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the sliced mushrooms and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are evenly browned (approximately 8 to 10 minutes). Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a separate bowl. Repeat this step with the remaining mushrooms and salt using another 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
8. Heat the broiler for 10 minutes while coating one ball of dough generously with flour. Place the floured dough on a well-floured counter and gently flatten it into an 8-inch disk using your fingertips. Gradually stretch the dough into a 12 by 8-inch oval, working along the edges as you go. Transfer the stretched dough to a well-floured peel and stretch it further into a 15 by 8-inch oval.
9. Spread half of the onion mixture evenly over the dough, from edge to edge, and scatter half of the sautéed mushrooms on top.
10. Carefully slide the flatbread onto the preheated baking stone and return it to the oven at 500 degrees. Bake the flatbread until the crust is well-browned (approximately 10 minutes), rotating it halfway through the baking process. Once done, transfer the flatbread to a wire rack and let it cool for 5 minutes. Drizzle 1½ teaspoons of olive oil over it and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of minced chives. Slice and serve.
11. Heat the broiler for 10 minutes and repeat steps 8 to 10 with the remaining ingredients to make the second flatbread. Ensure that you return the oven to 500 degrees when placing the second flatbread on the baking stone.

Enjoy your delicious Thin-Crust Whole-Wheat Mushroom Musakhan Flatbreads, perfect for sharing with 4 to 6 people! Serve with yogurt for an even more delightful experience.