A KISS AND HUG TO YOU ARGENTINA

Some day I would love to go to Buenos Aires. I have relatives there. Of course many of them do not know me. When my Grandmother, Rose, migrated to the US from Italy, her sister, Asunta, ended up in Buenos Aires. There was a quota and she was unable to get into the US. She settled there and raised her family. She and her family came once to see us. They were so cute! You could not go and take out the garbage without a kiss hello and goodbye. This is by no means an exageration. That is one thing that I think Italians and Spanish speaking peoples have in common: loving, demonstrative families.

This is one of those recipes that has been on my docket for quite some time. I guess I was put off by the number of components. Who knows. Oh so glad I made it. I made one for lunch without the roasted peppers for my friend and I to enjoy. I made the other half with roasted peppers for dinner. Frankly it really doesnt need the peppers but it is a nice touch. What really makes this "pizza" is the chimichurri.

Argentine Black Bean Flatbread with Chimichurri Drizzle
recipe adapted from Erin Mylroie for Cooking Light


Cooking Spray
1 tablespoon dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup warm water (100-110F)
2 cups all-purpose flour (about 13 1/2 ounces)
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups Black Bean Spread
1/2 cup (2 ounces) finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh oregano
1 roasted jalapeno
juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves of garlic

Preheat broiler. Slice pepper in three large slices; discard seeds and membranes. Place peppers on cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray, skin side up. Broil until blackened. Place in a paper bag or a saucepan with lid; seal or close lid as you add the charred peppers. Let stand until cool. The steam will help the skin seperate from the pepper. Peel and cut into 16 strips. Set aside.

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup water, flour, and salt to yeast mixture, stirring until dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic- about 10 min. Place dough in a large covered bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts., 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Place half of dough on a sprayed cookie sheet. Flatten and spread across cookie sheet. Repeat with other half of dough. Spread 1 1/2 cups Black Bean Spread over dough. Sprinkle with cheese. Place roasted peppers all around. Bake at 425F for 13 minutes on bottom rack of oven. Bake until crust browns around edges. Let cool 10 minutes. Enjoy.

Combine parsley and the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle parsley mixture over cheese. Cut bread into 16 squares; garnish each square with 1 bell pepper strip.

Yield: 16 servings- serving size 1 square


Black Bean Spread

1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 (15-ounce) can 50%-less-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) salsa of your choice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Yield: 3 cups