We have been inundated with rain in California since the top of the year. It’s almost April. We’ve never experienced these extreme weather conditions. It makes me dream of warmer days and spring time recipes. Since it is still so cold outside I’ve been indulging in all the fall meals and vegetables that make my heart sing. Soups, root veggies and brothy foods have been in heavy rotation around here. I’ve been on a deep dive to cherry pick all the best side dishes to go along with these main courses. My daughter loves a good pita chip so I decided I’d try to make one. Or something close to it. These beautifully colored beetroot flatbread chips is what I landed on.
The beauty about cooking at home so often like I do is that you really do get to experiment with new flavors and try things you may never have otherwise. I wanted to explore creating a chip that was classic with a modern fusion twist. There were a few spices I knew I wanted to play with plus I had some beetroot juice in my fridge because I’m pregnant and like to mix a little into my sparkling water. After sampling a few concoctions, mixing and matching quantities of ingredients I landed on something I think is pretty special. The final flavor profile is savory, smokey, earthy and mildly sweet. These are delicious with so many things.
Beetroot flatbread chips are rich in antioxidants thanks to the beet juice. They are gluten free because I used cassava flour which has a beautiful earthy flavor that pairs very well with the beet juice. I used a classic spice combo including smoked paprika that not only enhances the color of the chip but also adds the perfect amount of smoky flavor as well. The beautiful thing about these is they can be eaten as flatbreads before frying. Simply skip the last step to enjoy these in place of tortillas. I made a marvelous vegan taco with roasted chickpeas and a tahini dressing that was equally delicious as the chips. If you make this recipe either way please do make sure to @ us on social media. Enjoy!
Beetroot Cassava Chips
360 g cassava flour
2 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 1/2 tsp turbinado sugar
2 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground black pepper
200 ml of beetroot juice
47 ml of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Put all the dry ingredients through a sieve then add to a food processor. Pulse to combine. Drizzle the beetroot juice and the olive oil in while continuing to combine. Pulse for a minute or so more then pour onto floured surface to kneed together until dough forms. Place a small bowl of water next to your work station. Dip your hands in the water before working with each section. Form 6-8 balls, pressing each one down until disks form. Place on a plate then cover with a tea towel to let rest for 20 minutes.
Roll each disk out to form a tortilla round. Alternatively, you can use a tortilla press. Heat a cast iron skillet up to medium high heat. Drizzle a small round of olive oil onto the pan and grill each side until they turn golden. About 2 minutes a side. If browning too quickly turn the heat down. The tortillas can be consumed just like this or then fried for 1 minute per side in grapeseed oil to achieve beetroot chips. Sprinkle with flakey salt and enjoy just as is or with your favorite dips.
