Heritage tomato and crab salad with tapenade and herb flatbreads

Prepare: over 2 hours
Cook: 10 to 30 mins
Serve: Serves 4-6

The perfect British summer salad, with homemade flatbreads to soak up the juices.

By Frederick Forster

From Saturday Kitchen Best Bites

Ingredients

For the tapenade and herb flatbreads

200g/7oz strong white flour
¼ tsp sea salt flakes
7g sachet dried yeast
180ml/6fl oz warm water
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp black olive tapenade
handful finely chopped mixed herbs (flatleaf parsley, chervil, basil, tarragon and chives)
20ml/¾fl oz extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp sumac

For the tomato and crab salad

1.5kg/3lb 5oz mixed heritage tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
¼ water melon, peeled and cut into 2½cm/1in chunks
¼ punnet micro red basil
1 punnet nasturtium flowers
1 punnet nasturtium leaves
1 head yellow chicory, cut into small pieces
50ml/2fl oz olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
200g/7oz handpicked white crab meat
sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Method

To make the tapenade and herb flatbreads, preheat the oven to 230C/210C Fan/Gas 8 and grease and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Put the flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment.
Place the yeast in a jug, add the warm water and mix until dissolved. Gradually add half of the yeast and water mixture to the flour and salt while the mixer is running, then pause and pour in the olive oil, before adding the rest of the yeast and water. Continue to mix for around 5 minutes or until you have a smooth dough. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place to prove until doubled in size.
Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knock the air out. Divide into balls each weighing 25g/1oz. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to the thickness of a £1 coin and place on the prepared baking trays.
Bake for 7–10 minutes until crisp and golden-brown.
Spread the tapenade over the flatbreads, sprinkle with the herbs, drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil and finish with the sumac.
To make the tomato and crab salad, place the tomatoes, onions and watermelons into a bowl. Add the micro basil, nasturtium leaves and petals and chicory leaves and mix well.
Mix the vinegar and olive oil together in a separate bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Add the crab meat to the salad bowl and mix well before dressing and mixing again.
Serve the salad with the flatbreads on the side.