Barbecue Sausage and Burrata Flatbreads
Crispy flatbreads topped with spiced crumbled sausage, garlic, fennel seeds, and chilli, finished with creamy burrata and fresh fennel tops. The dough is hand-kneaded and rested, then quickly charred on a hot grill or pan. Caramelized sausage meat and its flavorful pan juices combine with melting burrata for a rustic, aromatic dish.
Ingredients
- 2 cups strong white bread flour, plus extra to dustall-purpose flour1:1baking
slight difference in texture
- ½ tsp sea salt, plus extra to sprinkle
- ½ tsp instant yeast, fast-action
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
- 10 tbsp water
- 6 British outdoor-reared pork sausages, casings removedchicken sausages1:1protein
different flavor profile, cook time may vary
- 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 tsp chilli flakes, plus extra to sprinkle
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to trickle
- flaky sea salt, to sprinkle
- black pepper
- 2 burrata balls
- fennel tops or small basil leaves, choppeddill or parsley1:1herb
different herbaceous note
Instructions
- 1
Mix flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl. Add water and olive oil, mix thoroughly until dough forms.
- 2
Knead dough on floured surface for about 10 minutes until soft and smooth.
- 3
Shape into a rough ball, place in oiled bowl, cover with cloth, and leave to rise in warm place until doubled.
- 4
Turn dough onto floured surface, cut in half, form each piece into a ball, and rest for 20 minutes.
- 5
Shape each dough piece into a thin disc using hands or rolling pin.
- 6
Remove sausage from casings and crumble meat into a bowl. Add garlic, fennel seeds, chilli flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly.
- 7
Heat large heavy pan over hot barbecue or high heat. Add olive oil, then sprinkle in sausage mixture and cook until crispy and caramelized in places, scraping up sticky bits. Keep warm.
- 8
If not cooking flatbreads directly on grill, transfer sausage and juices to a bowl and keep warm.
- 9
Lay flatbreads directly on barbecue grill or in hot pan. When they bubble up and smoke, flip and cook another minute.
- 10
Transfer flatbreads to board, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
- 11
Tear burrata over flatbreads. Scrape hot sausage and spiced fat over cheese.
- 12
Finish with extra chilli flakes, fennel tops or basil, and a final drizzle of oil.
Tips
Crumble sausage meat directly into the pan for best caramelization and crisping.
Scrape up the sticky, flavorful bits from the pan bottom as sausage cooks for deeper flavor.
Watch for bubbling and smoke on flatbread surface as sign to flip.
Burrata will partially melt from residual heat; serve immediately for best texture.
Good to Know
Flatbread dough (covered) up to 24 hours refrigerated. Cooked flatbreads best consumed immediately.
Prepare dough through first rise up to 8 hours ahead; punch down and refrigerate. Shape and rest dough 2 hours before cooking.
Serve immediately after topping while flatbreads are still warm and burrata is partially melted.
Common Mistakes
Under-knead dough to avoid dense, gummy flatbreads
Skip scraping pan drippings to avoid losing caramelized sausage flavor
Over-cook flatbreads to avoid burnt crust with raw center
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
slight difference in texture
different herbaceous note
different flavor profile, cook time may vary
vegan alternative