You can get plantains at any market in Jacó for almost nothing. Most people fry them or boil them. What fewer people do is roast them until the natural sugars caramelize, then lay them over a thick spread of Beetroot Hummus on flatbread with something sharp and acidic to cut through the sweetness.
That tension — the earthy hummus, the sweet plantain, the bright pickled onion — is what makes this flatbread work. It is a combination you would not think to try until you do, and then it becomes obvious.
Make the pickled onion the night before if you can. It gets better the longer it sits.
Ingredients
For the quick pickled onion
To finish
Instructions
- 1
Make the pickled onion first. Combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the onion, press it down so it is submerged, and leave for at least 30 minutes. It will turn bright pink.
- 2
Heat the oven to 220°C. Toss the plantain slices in olive oil, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 15–18 minutes, flipping once, until golden and caramelized at the edges.
- 3
Warm the flatbreads in a dry pan or directly over a gas flame for 30 seconds per side until lightly charred and pliable.
- 4
Spread a generous layer of Beetroot Hummus over each flatbread, going almost to the edges. Arrange the roasted plantain slices over the top. Pile on a handful of arugula, then scatter the pickled onion over everything.
- 5
Finish with cilantro, a pinch of chili flakes, and a squeeze of lemon if you skipped the feta. Slice and eat immediately.