This little squid went to the market
One
of the things that I miss the most about Montreal is its culinary diversity.
Anywhere you go, you are bound to find a cultural pocket - a delicious
hole-in-the-wall dumpling restaurant, an Italian grocer selling pickled baby
octopus, a family-owned Indian restaurant with $0.50 samosas and dirt-cheap
thalis. The further away from downtown you travel, the more you realize just
how much of a hub the city is, a second home to people from every corner of the
world whose new roots form a beautiful, ever-evolving urban landscape.
Last
week in Toronto, A and I took advantage of the city's foodie leanings and spent
a couple of days eating at little restaurants in the ethnic patchwork quilt
that is Kensington Market. We sampled delicious mahi mahi tacos, pickled
mussels and corn ice cream, among other things, and intermittently worked at cool
leafy cafes and browsed an endless array of interesting shops.
This
simple dish was made using a fantastic batch of za'atar that I picked up at a
small Lebanese grocer and bakery in the market. Here, za'atar, the ubiquitous
Middle Eastern spice mix comprised of herbs, sesame seeds, dried sumac and
salt, is combined with olive oil, garlic and lemon and spread liberally on a
basic pita dough. Once baked, the dough, soft and chewy, creates a very shallow
bowl shape filled with a gloriously tangy and flavorful spice mix. The pitas
are wonderful at slightly warm and can be eaten alone or with a dip such as
hummus or baba ghanoush.
Za'atar
pita
Adapted
slightly from Group Recipes
Ingredients
Dough:
- 1
tsp active dry yeast
- 1
cup warm water
- 1
tbsp sugar
- 3
cups flour
- 1
tsp salt
Za'atar
spread:
- 8
tbsp za'atar mix
-
3/4 cup olive oil
- 2
tsp lemon zest
- 2
clove of garlic, crushed into a paste
Prep
time: 10 minutes
Active
time: 25 minutes
Total
time (including rising time): 2 hours
Makes
8 7" pitas
1.
In a small bowl, mix yeast, 1/4 cup warm water and sugar. Let sit at room
temperature for about 10-12 minutes, or until yeast mixture is foaming.
2.
Mix flour and salt together and add yeast mixture. Slowly knead mixture into
the dough, gradually adding remaining 3/4 cup warm water, until dough is firm
and elastic (about 8 minutes).
3.
Place dough in a bowl, cover with a clean towel and let rise for 1 hour.
4. Preheat
oven to 400F. Remove towel and knead for an additional 2 minutes. Divide dough
into 8 even balls and carefully roll out into circles about 1/4" thick and
7" in diameter. Roll up the edges of dough rounds and make indentations in
the dough with your finger. Using a fork, poke a few holes in the pita dough.
5.
Arrange dough rounds on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. In a bowl,
whisk together olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and za'atar and divide evenly
among pitas, taking care not to let the oil trickle over the pita ridges.
6.
Bake pitas for about 12-14 minutes, until dough is lightly golden and za'atar
mix is bubbling. Remove from oven and let rest in pan, then transfer to cooling
racks.
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