Harissa Mushroom Flatbread

Harissa Mushroom Flatbread

This one has become a proper weeknight staple for us. There's something about harissa mushrooms piled onto a warm flatbread with herby chickpeas that just hits every time, it's bold, a little smoky, fresh from the herbs and completely satisfying. We love it because it feels like a proper meal but comes together in about 25 minutes, which on a busy evening is everything. The sumac and lemon zest on the chickpeas is a combo we keep coming back to, it lifts the whole thing and makes it taste way more fancy than the effort involved. Honestly, make this tonight and you'll be glad you did.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Potato masher
  • Mixing bowl
  • Frying pan

Ingredients

  • 1 400g tin of chickpeas
  • 15g mint
  • 15g parsley
  • 1 lemon
  • ½ tsp sumac
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 portobello mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tbsp rose harissa paste
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp Henderson's Relish
  • 1 tbsp liquid smoke
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 flatbreads
  • 250g hummus
  • extra virgin olive oil

Method

1

Prepare the Herby Chickpeas

  • Pick the mint and parsley leaves and finely chop (set a few full small leaves aside for garnish
  • Zest and halve the lemon
  • Drain and rinse the chickpeas
  • Add the chickpeas, lemon zest, sumac to the mixing bowl, drizzle over a good glug of olive oil, a little salt and pepper and toss to combine
  • Sprinkle the mint and parsley over the chickpeas and toss to combine
  • Set the bowl aside
2

Prepare the mushroom ingredients

  • Pull the stems out of the mushrooms and slice
  • Slice the caps of the mushrooms into 1cm thick slices
  • Peel and grate the garlic cloves
3

Fry your mushrooms

  • Warm the olive oil in the frying pan over medium high heat, add the mushrooms, a little salt and pepper and fry for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally
  • Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika and stir for 2 minutes
  • Use the potato masher to squeeze any excess moisture out of the mushrooms and stir for another minute to cook the liquid off
  • Add the harissa, maple syrup, Henderson’s Relish, liquid smoke and stir for a further 2 minutes
4

Finish and serve

  • Warm the flatbreads according to package instructions
  • Place one flatbread on a serving plate
  • Spoon on 2 tablespoons of hummus into the middle of the flat bread and use the back of the spoon to smooth the flatbread across the top
  • Spoon ¼ of the herby chickpeas into the middle of the flat bread
  • Transfer ¼ of the meaty mushrooms on top of the chickpeas
  • Squeeze over a little lemon juice
  • Garnish with some of the reserved parsley and mint
  • Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more dishes and serve immediately

Tips & Variations

  • Use a really hot pan: Get your pan properly hot before the mushrooms go in. Ian is very serious about this. If the pan isn't hot enough the mushrooms will steam and go soggy instead of getting that gorgeous golden colour you're after.
  • Make it your own: Henry always adds an extra spoonful of harissa because he likes things with a proper kick. If you're cooking for people who don't love heat, start with less and taste as you go.
  • Flatbread shortcut: Shop-bought flatbreads work brilliantly here and save you loads of time. Warm them in a dry pan for a minute each side and they taste like you made them yourself. Nobody needs to know.

Why This Works

The trick here is getting the mushrooms really nicely caramelised before you add the harissa, so they pick up that deep, almost meaty flavour rather than just steaming in the sauce. The herby chickpea situation on top isn't just a garnish either, it adds texture and a brightness that balances the heat of the harissa really well. We find that being generous with the olive oil on the chickpeas makes a real difference, don't be shy with it.