Greek and Middle Eastern vegetarian meze

This meal is very easy to prepare and it looks very impressive, especially with the homemade pita bread. It is colourful, full of flavour and very filling-no meat needed. I serve it with the roasted and seasoned peppers, you can find the recipe here, grilled Haloumi cheese and some alfa alfa. 

Humus

Ingredients for 4

1-2tbsp Tahini (depending on how strong and salty it is)

1 garlic clove

Lemon juice from ½ of a lemon

4tbsp olive oil

1/2tsp ground kumin

Salt

Pepper

1 can chickpeas

Ca 4tbsp greek yoghurt

Process

Using a food processor, blend the tahini, lemon juice and garlic until smooth.

Add the chickpeas, olive oil and ground cumin and blend until smooth.

Taste and season then add the yoghurt until the desired consistency.

Leave in a fridge to cool completely. Before serving transfer into a serving bowl, using a spoon make a dent, sprinkle over with a pinch of ground paprika and drizzle with some olive oil.

Aubergine dip

Ingredients for 4

3 aubergine

½ red onion

Lemon juice from ½ of a lemon

Salt

1-2tbsp olive oil

A handful of parsley

Process

Wash and stab the aubergines then grill or oven roast them on 250 º until soft. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes or until manageable.

Cut the aubergines in half, spoon out the flesh then chop and transfer into a bowl.

Add finely chopped onion, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and parsley. Mix until combines.

Leave in the fridge to cool completely.

Before serving transfer into a serving dish, decorate with some parsley leaves and drizzle with some olive oil.

Greek pita bread

Ingredients for 4

2tsp active dry yeast

1tsp sugar

160ml milk at room temperature

80ml water at room temperature

320gr strong flour

1tsp salt

1tsp chopped fresh or dry thyme

1tbsp olive oil

Process

In a small bowl add the yeast, the sugar, the milk and the water and mix until the yeast and the sugar dissolves. Set aside for ca 5min or until it starts to bubble.

In a large bowl add the flour, the salt and the thyme.

When the yeast starts to bubble add the olive oil then transfer the mixture into the flour mixture. Mix using a fork until the dough comes together then continue using the hands. Continue kneading the dough on a lightly flowered working surface for around 5min.

Lightly brush a big bowl with some olive oil then leave the dough to double in size in it covered with a kitchen towel. This takes around 40min.

Heat a pan on a medium heat. Brush the working surface with the olive oil.

Punch the air out of the dough and divide into 6-8 pieces then form a bowl out of each.

Using a rolling pin or hands thin out the dough until a round shape that fits the pan, around 2ocm.

Add a few drops of olive oil into the pan, place a prepared dough over it and cook for around 1-2min per side. It will puff up and become lightly brown.

Serve hot or cold.

Enjoy!

M