As you can see from this photo, I have a problem. I have a lot of basil to use up before some pesky friends rob me of it (that’s a Japanese beetle you see here, one who has been munching on basil while his brethren munch on my ornamental plum tree).

I’ll be making pesto as we approach the end of the growing season, but right now while the plants are still filling out I like to prune them a bit, taking off the branches which have flowered in order to encourage fuller growth. Oh, and pick off some of my little competitors while I’m at it.

One of my favorite summer foods is bread — the kind we can cook on the grill. Flat breads are easy to make and bake, don’t require heating up the house with the oven if you have a grill. And you can also make something very tasty for an appetizer or a meal with this flat bread, can be used as a delivery device for cool creamy dips or as a base for a grilled sandwich (literally cooked on the grill, yum!).

Here’s a favorite and easy one for you to try. . . .

Flat Bread Dough

Makes (2) 12- to 14-inch "loaves" — can be made into smaller sizes

Ingredients:

1-1/3 cups water (warm water between 85 and 100 deg F works best)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (plus a little extra if dough appears too moist at end of kneading)

1 tablespoon sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons SAF yeast or 2-1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

extra flour for kneading/rolling surface

Optional:

Dough additives: garlic (powder or a clove minced finely), basil (chopped finely or a teaspoon dry)

Toppings: Basil leaves, chopped garlic, sea salt, cracked black pepper, olive oil, Parmesan or Romano cheese

Instructions (for bread machine):

1) Follow bread machine manufacturer’s general instructions on dough prep, choosing Dough setting on maker. My machine recommends wet ingredients first (water, oil) and all dry ingredients next (flour, sugar, salt) with yeast last especially if one is using a timed setting. Start Dough cycle; dough ball will be soft at end of mixing and will rise at least double if yeast is fresh at end of Dough cycle.

[If making by hand/mixer, mix as for regular bread dough -- dry ingredients in bowl first with yeast blended into flour, followed by wet. Alternating amounts of dry/wet ingredients may work best. Mix until a soft, slightly sticky dough is formed and pulls together easily. Place dough in greased bowl and cover with a tea towel, allow to rise until doubled in volume.]

2) At end of Dough cycle or at end of rise if mixing by hand, remove dough from pan and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into two or more portions. Flatten out to desired shape/thickness. Preheat grill or oven at this point depending on length of time of second rise.

If you’d like a more tender flat bread, roll thicker and allow to rest and rise while covered with tea towel about 20 minutes.

If you’d like a crisper flat bread, roll thinner and place on baking sheet and bake right away.

3) Just before baking, apply clean, dry basil leaves in desired quantity on top of bread. If desired, sprinkle with sea salt and/or cracked black pepper to taste.

4) Place in hot oven 450-475 deg F or in grill (see notes) and bake for 6-8 minutes, until dough is browned on bottom and lightly golden-brown on top. Remove immediately and serve.

Notes:

– I use unglazed quarry or baking tiles in my grill, placing them on the grill surface to heat when I turn on the grill. They make for a more even crust on the bottom. Same concept also works well in oven, additionally reduces heat fluctuations in electric ovens.

– If baking on the grill, the finished product may not appear very brown on the top; don’t be deceived as bottom can still be dark. (See photo at bottom.)

– Sheet pans lined with parchment paper allow for fast cleanup, easy dough/bread handling and also help me lift the dough to peek at the bottom of the crust for doneness.

– A friend gave me a bottle of a dry roasted tomato and basil pesto mix; it’s actually quite good not as pesto but added to the bread dough at the beginning. I add just a heaping tablespoon to the breadmachine, which mixes it into the dough.

– Very tasty served with homemade hummus or Greek tzatziki (a cucumber-yogurt dip), or a nice spinach pesto.

– Great as a grilled sandwich with smoked ham, provolone and gruyere cheese — just spread sandwich components over one loaf, top with a second, wrap in foil and heat on the grill until the cheese is melted.