I decided to go with the Israeli equivalent of pizza/burgers and fries for my first attempt at this kind of cuisine. Common dishes, yes, but not without their own challenges. Considering the last time I baked any kind of bread was during the first Bush administration (and by that I mean Bush Sr.) I was SO nervous that the dough wouldn't rise and it would taste terrible. And as mentioned in my previous post, where was I supposed to find tahini (a.k.a. sesame paste)?
Enter Sahadi's Importing Co. An oasis of hard-to-find (and not-so-hard-to-find) items right in the heart of Cobble Hill, Brooklyn.
This is a market that carries an extensive array of spices, cheeses, coffee and regional groceries. Initially I thought it was a Middle Eastern-only shop, but in actuality, its wares extend to Greek, Italian and Indian products as well.
It was here that I managed to find the ever-elusive raw, top-quality tahini, which is the key ingredient to hummus, as well as a jar of Shipka peppers (hot green, pickled peppers).
The rest of the ingredients were easily obtainable at my local supermarket, so without further ado, here are the results!
All recipes courtesy of The Book of New Israeli Food: A Culinary Journey, by Janna Gur
I can't help but toot my own horn here, but this hummus is to die for. The best hummus I ever had was at Gam Gam, in the Jewish ghetto of Venice, while backpacking through Europe in 1998, and I think this hummus gives it a run for its money (remember, never been to Israel, so I have a lot of hummus tasting to do). It's creamy, with just the perfect kick of lemon, garlic, spices and hot peppers. I just wish I could get rid of the burning sensation under my fingers caused by the capsaicin in the peppers!
This hummus is made in two parts. First you make the basic hummus, then the sauce that gives it that amazing harmony of flavors.
Basic Hummus Dip (serves 8-10)
Ingredients
1 lb 2 oz. small dry chickpeas
1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup raw top quality tahini
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Salt to taste
1. Soak the chickpeas overnight in a large bowl of cold water with one tablespoon of baking soda.
2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and put them in a large pan. Add water until it reaches 1 inch above the chickpeas. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda and bring to a boil. Cook covered over low heat for 2-3 hours (Note: Two hours was more than enough), until the chickpeas are very soft. Cool slightly, drain and save some of the cooking liquid.
Note: These first two steps are very time-consuming, but so worth it
3. Put the chickpeas in a food precessor, add 2/3 cup of the tahini and process until almost smooth. If the paste is too thick, add a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid. Season with lemon, garlic and salt; taste and adjust the seasoning (Note: I'm partial to more lemon than usual, but don't overdo it). For a richer creamier version, add the remaining tahini and process until the hummus is completely smooth and fluffy.
Complete Hummus (serves 6-8)
Ingredients
Basic hummus dip (recipe above)
The Sauce:
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot red pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, crushed
4-5 Shipka peppers (small hot green, pickled peppers), seeded and chopped
To serve:
Raw tahini
Olive oil
Chopped fresh parsley
Chopped onion (Note: I didn't bother with the onion -- didn't make a difference)
1. Mix the ingredients for the sauce and set aside for one hour.
2. Spoon 2-3 heaping tablespoons of hummus dip into each serving plate and spread around the rim, leaving a crater in the center. Fill the crater with one tablespoon of raw tahini. Pour on 2-3 tablespoons of the sauce, sprinkle some olive oil and top with chopped parsley and onion.
And what would delicious, savory hummus be without fresh, straight-out-of-the oven pita?
My only complaint about my homemade pita is that it was a little too thick and puffy for a flatbread, but it still tasted chewy and delicious. Next time I'll invest in a brick oven ;-)
Pita
Ingredients (for 10 pitas)
3 1/2 cups bread flour
1 oz. fresh yeast (Note: Fresh yeast is almost impossible to come by unless you're a professional baker or Food Network personality. I used dry yeast and it worked almost TOO well!)
1 1/2 cups water (Note: Lukewarm water is best)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. Mix the yeast with the flour in a mixer fitted with a kneading hook. Add the water, sugar, salt and olive oil and knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth, shiny and slightly sticky.
2. Transfer the dough to a large greased bowl. Sprinkle olive oil over it, cover with cling wrap and allow to rise to twice its original size.
3. Preheat the oven to maximum (500 or 550 degrees F).
4. Place the dough on a work surface sprinkled with flour and divided into 10 equal parts. Roll each part into a ball. Cover with a moist towel and leave for 10 minutes.
5. Roll out each ball into a disk 4 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick. Arrange on a tray lined with baking paper and bake for 5 minutes, just until the pitas swell up and begin to show golden spots. Avoid over-baking, which will cause them to dry up.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Cover the pitas with a kitchen towel for a few minutes to keep them soft.
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