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Baba Ganoush with Homemade Pita
2 hours 20 mins Prep Time
55 mins Cook Time
The pita recipe is adapted from NYT cooking with modifications to the type of flours used and method of cooking the pita! The baba ganoush recipe is tweaked from various recipes online and personal taste. Baba ganoush is a delicious combination of roasted eggplant, tahini, spices and olive oil, typically made using eggplant charred in ash and grilled over a wood fire. However, this recipe still achieves that element of smokiness through oven roasting. If you have some liquid smoke, feel free to add a couple drops of this, but for simplicity I have left it out. Baba Ganoush is delicious, garlicky, creamy and pairs absolutely perfectly with this pita recipe! If your pitas puff up nicely, you can split them open and stuff it with your homemade baba ganoush and other fillings and enjoy it as a delicious pita wrap!
If you give this recipe a shot, make sure to post up your creation on Instagram and tag @tastetoronto and @travelandmunchies!
Directions
Baba Ganoush
6 Steps
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the eggplant from sticking to the pan. Halve the eggplants lengthwise and brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Place them in the prepared pan with the halved sides down.
Step 2
Roast the eggplant until the interior is very tender throughout and the skin is collapsing, about 35 to 40 minutes (check eggplants after 25 minutes to decide how much more time they need and to ensure they do not burn -- this might take longer if you are using 1 large eggplant). Set the eggplant aside to cool for a few minutes. Flip the eggplants over and scoop out the flesh with a large spoon, leaving the skin behind.
Step 3
Place a mesh strainer over a mixing bowl, then transfer the flesh to the strainer and discard the skins. Pick out any stray bits of eggplant skin and discard. You want to remove as much moisture from the eggplant here as possible, so let the eggplant rest for a few minutes and shake/stir the eggplant to release some more moisture.
Step 4
Discard all of the eggplant drippings, drain and wipe out the bowl, and dump the eggplant into the bowl. Add the garlic and lemon juice to the eggplant and stir vigorously with a fork until eggplant breaks down. Add the tahini to the bowl and stir until it’s incorporated. While stirring, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Continue stirring until the mixture is pale and creamy, and use your fork to break up any particularly long strings of eggplant.
Step 5
Stir in the parsley, salt and cumin. Season to taste with more salt and more lemon juice.
Step 6
Transfer the baba ganoush to a serving bowl and lightly drizzle olive oil on top. Lastly, sprinkle parsley and crushed red peppers flakes on top. Serve with accompaniments of your choice. It’s also great on sandwiches!
Pita
7 Steps
Step 1
Put 1 cup of lukewarm water in a large mixing bowl. Add yeast and sugar. Stir to dissolve. Add the whole-wheat flour and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and whisk together. Put the bowl in a warm (not hot) place, uncovered, until mixture is frothy and bubbling, about 15 minutes.
Step 2
Add salt, olive oil and nearly all remaining all-purpose flour (reserve 1/2 cup). With a wooden spoon or a pair of chopsticks, stir until mixture forms a shaggy mass. Dust with a little reserved flour, then knead in bowl for 1 minute, incorporating any stray bits of dry dough.
Step 3
Turn dough onto work surface. Knead lightly for 2 minutes, until smooth. Cover and let rest 10 minutes, then knead again for 2 minutes. Try not to add too much reserved flour; the dough should be soft and a bit moist. (At this point, the dough may be refrigerated in a large zippered plastic bag for several hours or overnight. Bring dough back to room temperature, knead into a ball and proceed with recipe.)
Step 4
Clean the mixing bowl and put the dough back in it. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, then cover with a towel. Put the bowl in a warm (not hot) place. Leave until dough has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Step 5
Heat a cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. Punch down dough and divide into 8 pieces of equal size. Form each piece into a little ball. Place dough balls on the work surface, cover with a damp towel and leave for 10 minutes.
Step 6
Remove 1 ball (keeping others covered) and press into a flat disk with a rolling pin. Roll to a 6-inch circle, then to an 8-inch diameter, about 1/8 inch thick, dusting with flour if necessary. The dough will shrink a bit while baking.
Step 7
Carefully lift the dough circle and place quickly in a hot skillet. After about 2 minutes the dough should be nicely puffed. Turn over with tongs or spatula. The pita should be pale, with some brown speckles. Transfer warm pita to a napkin-lined basket and cover so bread stays soft. Repeat with the rest of the dough balls.
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