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So this happened.

Pita Bread (yield 8)
  • 2T active dry yeast
  • 1/2t sugar
  • 1C lukewarm water

let proof, then mix with

  • 310g flour
  • 1t salt
  • 2T olive oil (optional)

knead until smooth; let rise to double, divide into eight pieces, roll flat into a circle and bake on a heated stone or cast iron at 475F

Beet Hummus

(adapted from Dr. McDougall’s recipe)

  • 1.5C cooked garbanzo beans (or 1 can)
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1-2 tablespoons water
  • salt to taste
  • a little bit of raw beet
  • spiralized beets for garnish

put everything in a food processor except the garnish; blend to consistency; garnish.

Baba Ghannooj

Justin used the Minimalist Baker recipe, except he added more garlic (of course!)

Tahini Dressing

I used this recipe from Cooking With Plants, except I didn’t have enough tahini to make that much, so I scaled it down and then just tasted it along the way.

Falafel

This isn’t going to really be a recipe because I’m such an a-hole that I forgot to mark what I did, and it doesn’t matter anyway because falafel is an experience, not a recipe.  So basically, you’re making a chunky hummus and then baking it.  I used:

  • Chickpeas
  • Besan flour  (chickpea flour, for binding)
  • Garlic
  • Parsley (I always use more parsley than most would find reasonable)
  • Cumin
  • Coriander
  • Cayenne pepper (I use our “pepper surprise” which is a mix made of last fall’s garden peppers, dried and ground into a powder)
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Keeping to the low-fat ideal, I did not fry the falafel. We can all agree that fried falafel really is better than baked falafel, but I will say that this was very good.  I did brush each falafel on one side with oil, and baked them on the hot pan on which I had just finished the pita, so they did have a little crispness to the outside, which is all I really wanted.

Justin picked up the dolmas at the store. I didn’t care for them much, but he really loves them. They seemed a bit oily and soft to me. I think I’d like it better if the rice was a little more “rice-like” and not quite as softened. I’d also like it better if the grape leaves were just a tiny bit firmer, and if they weren’t quite as oily.  Maybe “fresher” is the idea.  The grapevine at the garden is just starting to leaf out, so maybe this year I can get some leaves to prepare to make our own.

Blah blah blah, anyway: I think my most favorite thing right now is the Baba Ghannooj. It’s creamy and rich, but not heavy. It works really well as a “mayonnaise” for a pita sandwich, but truth be told: I’ll just eat it with a spoon. We bought some on a whim last week and haven’t been able to get enough of it since. 🙂  If you’re not into making it on your own and you’re in the neighborhood, definitely pick some up from East Side Pockets.