This one is my go-to recipe when we have friends over or simply want a cozy night in front of the television. It is quick to prepare, easy to share and to serve, and allows about a million possible variations, so you can make it plenty of times without ending up twice with the same! You can also prepare a few different ones at a time when you have a lot of people coming over. I’m not sure how to name it as it is a mix between a pizza, a quiche, a tarte flambée and a flatbread. If someone has a good name for it, I’ll take it! 😉

The crust is made of a pâte brisée (pie dough). In Belgium I usually got the store bought version, but I now learned how to make it myself and the homemade version is a lot crispier (recipe here)! The next layer is made with cream cheese or spreadable cheese, and/or pesto (my recipe here), plus some grated cheese. For the toppings, you get to choose among your favorite ingredients and get creative! Here are a few of my tried and tested versions:

• Mushrooms – sliced roasted chicken breast – black pepper spreadable cheese or cream cheese
• Bell peppers – diced ham – garlic and herbs spreadable cheese
• Cherry tomatoes – prosciutto – pesto
• Zucchini – smoked salmon – homemade spinach-arugula pesto – cream cheese
• Blue cheese crumbles – leeks – onions – cream cheese
• Diced tomatoes – grilled bacon – pesto and sour cream
  

Makes one large pie – serves about 3 (read 1 or 2 if Arnaud is joining your party)

• Pie dough, store bought or homemade (recipe here)
• Cream cheese, spreadable cheese (seasoned with garlic and herbs, black pepper,…), or sour cream
• And/or pesto (homemade pesto here)
• One bag of grated cheese
• Your favorite toppings
• Spices and seasoning of your choice

Flatten the dough (3-4mm) with a rolling pin. Lay the dough flat on a large greased baking pan. Prick it over with a fork. Arrange a few spoonfuls of spreadable cheese and/or pesto over the dough, and spread it all over into a thin layer with the back of a spoon (when using homemade pesto, I put a thicker layer beaucoup the one I make is way less oily than the store bought version). Cover with a layer of grated cheese. Dice the chosen toppings and spread them all over the pie. Depending on the toppings, you might want to cook them a little beforehand (I do so when I use bell peppers, leeks, mushrooms or bacon for example). Add some black pepper, spices or herbs if you like. Bake in the preheated oven (200-210°C/390-410°F) for 15’-20’, checking a few times so that the top doesn’t burn but the crust gets crispy. Serve hot with some salad. Pretty easy, right?