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Created by Chef Remy
Crackling-crisp flatbread piled with smoky, peppery tasso ham, swirls of spicy-sweet pepper jelly, and bubbling cheese, the kind of appetizer that vanishes from the table before you can grab a second piece.
Tasso ham is one of Louisiana's greatest gifts to the culinary world. It's pork shoulder rubbed with Cajun spices and smoked until it develops that deep, complex flavor you can't find anywhere else. My grandmother Evangeline used to slice it thin and fry it up for breakfast, but at Lagniappe we turned it into this flatbread that's become one of our most requested appetizers.
The magic here is in the layers. You start with a thin, crispy base that shatters when you bite into it. Then comes a schmear of cream cheese that mellows the heat and gives the toppings something to hold onto. The tasso goes on next, and as it heats in the oven, the fat renders and those spices bloom. The pepper jelly is your sweet counterpoint, cutting through the smoke and richness. Top it all with good melting cheese and fresh green onions, and you've got something that'll make your guests forget about whatever else you're serving.
This is the kind of cooking I love: big flavors, honest ingredients, nothing fussy. You can have it on the table in twenty minutes, which makes it perfect for game day or when friends drop by unexpected. That's the bayou way. Always ready to feed whoever shows up at your door.
Quantity
2 large (about 8 inches each)
Quantity
4 ounces
softened
Quantity
6 ounces
sliced thin
Quantity
1/4 cup
Quantity
1 1/2 cups
shredded
Quantity
1/2 cup
shredded
Quantity
3
sliced thin
Quantity
1 teaspoon
Quantity
2 tablespoons
Quantity
1/4 teaspoon
freshly cracked
Quantity
for garnish
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| naan breads or flatbreads | 2 large (about 8 inches each) |
| cream cheesesoftened | 4 ounces |
| tasso hamsliced thin | 6 ounces |
| pepper jelly | 1/4 cup |
| Monterey Jack cheeseshredded | 1 1/2 cups |
| mozzarella cheeseshredded | 1/2 cup |
| green onionssliced thin | 3 |
| Cajun seasoning | 1 teaspoon |
| olive oil | 2 tablespoons |
| black pepperfreshly cracked | 1/4 teaspoon |
| fresh parsley (optional) | for garnish |
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have a pizza stone, put it on the middle rack and let it heat for at least twenty minutes. A hot stone gives you that crackling, blistered crust that makes flatbread worth eating. No stone? A heavy baking sheet flipped upside down works nearly as well.
Mix the softened cream cheese with half a teaspoon of Cajun seasoning and the black pepper until smooth. This is your foundation layer. It should be spreadable but not runny. If your cream cheese is too cold, give it fifteen seconds in the microwave. The seasoning in this base is subtle on purpose because the tasso brings plenty of heat.
Brush both sides of each flatbread lightly with olive oil. Spread the seasoned cream cheese evenly over the top, leaving about a half-inch border around the edges. Layer the tasso ham slices over the cream cheese, overlapping them slightly. Dollop the pepper jelly in small spoonfuls across the surface. It will spread and melt as it bakes.
Combine the Monterey Jack and mozzarella in a bowl, then scatter generously over the flatbreads. The Jack brings flavor, the mozzarella brings that beautiful stretch. Sprinkle the remaining half teaspoon of Cajun seasoning over the cheese. Season in layers: that's how you build depth.
Slide the flatbreads onto your hot stone or baking sheet. Bake for ten to twelve minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and golden in spots and the edges of the flatbread are deeply browned and crisp. Watch them close after eight minutes. Every oven runs different, and the line between perfectly blistered and burnt is thin.
Pull the flatbreads from the oven and let them rest for just two minutes. Scatter the sliced green onions over the top while they're still hot. The residual heat will take the raw edge off the onions. Cut into wedges or irregular pieces with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Serve immediately on a wooden board. This is not food that waits.
1 serving (about 245g)
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