This week, I had some friends over for a homemade spread of pita bread, hummus, Tzatziki, and brussels sprouts. The hummus and Tzatziki is incredibly easy. The pita is a little more labor but much less than you may expect!
Hummus
This is the hummus recipe I used: https://www.loveandlemons.com/hummus-recipe/
I have made this recipe several times. Once you get an idea of what your hummus should look and taste like, it is something you can start winging.
When I make hummus now, I grab a can of organic chickpeas, drain them, and put them until a pot to simmer. I drain the pot and after they cool, I put them in the spread maker attachment for my blender. I add a high-quality, organic, greek olive oil, tahini from Trader Joe's, and toss in sea salt, freshly peeled garlic, lemon juice, water, Herbs de Provence, and some fresh thyme and rosemary from the garden.
You can also try different herbs. If you want something slightly more tangy, balsamic vinegar and basil will give the hummus a sharper flavor. Start off adding a very small amount as it can get overpowering,
Once all your ingredients are in your blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Do a taste test to check flavor and consistency. If the mixture is too dry or thick, add a little water or oil. When you have gotten the desired taste and texture, scoop into a bowl and serve with pita bread, and brussels sprouts. Top with a little olive oil and a sea salt and herb mixture.
If you want to portion the hummus out onto separate plates, I like putting the hummus on top of a kale, spinach, and chard blend. Then, top with a little olive oil and a sea salt and herb mixture and garnish with veggies such as tomatoes or olives.
Pita Bread
This is the pita bread recipe I used: https://youtu.be/JXWj8wn--q0
It creates a flaky, naan-like pita bread. I do not have a mixer, so I just mix the dough with a silicone spatula by hand. This recipe is good on its own and does not need much extra. I like to add some other ingredients to really put it over the top but it is not necessary.
I add a couple pinches of sugar to the yeast and water to feed the yeast. Then I add the first cup of flour, the olive oil, and salt. After that I add one shallots and three or four cloves of garlic, finely chopped. This is also a good time to add a few pinches of herbs. I will generally use Herbs de Provence or fresh thyme and rosemary.
After adding my extras, I add more flour and stir till the dough stops heavily sticking to my bowl. When hand mixing, the dough will always stick a little, you can always add more flour if it starts sticking later on.
I follow the video and let everything rise, divide it up and let it rise again. Usually, I have to use flour when dividing them up and flattening them out because they will stick. The guy in the video suggests letting the yeast rise a total of four hours, but I prefer leaving the yeast to rise a little longer so make sure you make the dough ahead of time.
When the dough has sat long enough, I use a well seasoned cast iron to cook the bread. I let the cast iron warm up on medium heat for 5-10 minutes (4/8). While the pan is heating up, I start flattening the dough like a pizza crust. The guy in the video uses a rolling pin but I prefer doing it by hand.
I will then lightly coat the pan with olive oil and throw the flattened dough onto the cast iron like a tortilla. You will know it is done after 2-3 minutes when the cooked side has golden brown spots (or black spots if the heat is too high). After flipping it over, I like to add a tiny sliver of butter and sprinkle sea salt and rosemary mixture on top. After that, the pita is ready to serve!
Tzatziki
This is the Tzatziki recipe I use: https://www.loveandlemons.com/tzatziki-sauce/
I made the recipe once and now pretty much use this as a rough guidance. That is the beauty of cooking, once you learn how to make something you can wing it and make it your own.
If you do not have dill, I have found dill is not essential for this recipe, although it is delicious. What is essential is onion powder which is not in the recipe.
This recipe is super easy, just make sure you really squeeze the water out of the cucumber. I like to make this ahead of time because the spread thickens and the flavors mesh together overnight in the refrigerator. If your Tzatziki is too fresh, it can just take like sour greek yogurt so make sure to let it sit in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before serving.
Brussels Sprouts
This is probably the easiest part of the meal. Wash and half the brussels sprouts. Toss them in a bowl with olive oil, garlic salt, and fresh ground pepper. If you do not have a pepper grinder, get one. Fresh pepper is always better.
Throw the brussels sprouts in an air fryer heated to 400 degrees fahrenheit and set the cook time to 20 minutes or a little longer depending on your desired crispness. If you only have an oven, set the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit and cook for 30-40 minutes.
When they are done, you can throw them in a bowl and serve with hummus and Tzatziki!
Hope you enjoyed my take on these recipes. Let me know what you like to serve for your guests in the comments below!
As always,
Alli
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