Baba Ghanoush, Hummus & Flatbread Mezze

PAT PILCHER shows you how to whip up a wonderfully healthy, incredibly tasty Mediterranean dish that your tastebuds will thank you for.

One of the upsides of the surreal situation that was the lockdown was its near Summer-like weather. Wellington felt most un-Wellington-like, and dare I say it, Mediterranean. On these days, I’d whip up a quick Mediterranean lunch mini-feast of Baba Ghanoush, Hummus and Flatbreads plus a few other odds and ends such as chargrilled capsicums, olives and a light salad.

Aside from being incredibly tasty and healthy, these dishes are dairy-free, meat-free and are a great way of making use of an eggplant, a tin of chickpeas and a few other odds and ends in the pantry. And as well, it’s incredibly simple to make and tastes incredible – especially when eaten outside on a warm sunny day.

Ingredients

Baba Ghanoush
1x med/large eggplant
2x cloves of garlic
1x lemon
Handful of parsley
Pinch of salt
A few twists of pepper
Olive oil

Hummus
1x 400g can of chickpeas
Tablespoon of tahini (or unsalted/unsweetened peanut butter)
2 x cloves of garlic
4 tablespoons of lemon juice
2x tablespoons olive oil
Pinch of salt
100ml of iced water

Flatbread
250g of plain white flour
Pinch of salt
A good glug of extra virgin olive oil
125ml of warm water

4) Misc

Olives
Capsicums
Salad vege

Method

Baba Ganoush
Prick the eggplant with a fork down its length on several sides
Fire up a large gas hob on the gas stove (or BBQ) and place the eggplant directly on the moderate flame

Let the eggplant cook, use tongs to turn regularly until its skin is charred and flakey and it has shrivelled slightly (should take around 15 minutes)
Remove from the flame and place in a sealed container for 20-30 mins so the smokey flavours are absorbed
Add 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil into a pan and heat the oil on medium heat
Peel the garlic cloves and place in the oil, tilting the pan to keep the garlic fully immersed
Once the oil starts bubbling around the cloves remove from heat, set aside to allow the garlic and oil to cool, keeping the cloves covered in the oil
Finely chop the parsley, set aside in a bowl
Peel the burnt flesh off the eggplant, placing the eggplant in the same bowl as the parsley
Add a pinch of salt

Zest the lemon, placing the zest and lemon juice in the same bowl as the eggplant

Once the oil, garlic has cooled, add it to the same bowl as the eggplant

Using a potato masher (or large fork/stick blender), mush the eggplant and mix with ingredients in the bowl.

Set aside in a covered container for 30-40mins for the flavours to incorporate

Char-Grilled Capsicum/Salad/Misc
Place capsicum on a gas hob on a stove or BBQ on high heat.
Turn using tongs to ensure the entire capsicum is evenly charred
Once the capsicum is completely charred place in a sealed container to sweat
After 10-15 minutes remove the capsicum from the container and rub or peel off the charred skin.
Cut capsicum into bite-sized strips, discarding seeds/stalk
Place olives in small bowls for each diner, also supply a small bowl for the leftover olive stones
Using salad greens make a simple leafy salad
Hummus

Peel 2 cloves of garlic, add to 1 tablespoon of hot olive oil in a pan and turn off the heat once the oil bubbles around the garlic, leave the garlic in the oil for 15-20 minute to cool
Draining first, add 1 x 400g can of chickpeas into a food processor
Add 1 x tablespoon of tahini (or unsalted/unsweetened peanut butter)
Add a pinch of salt and garlic cloves plus oil
Add the lemon juice
Blitz in the food processor and while the food processor is running, slowly drizzle in some of the iced water until the hummus reaches the desired consistency (not too liquid, not too thick)

Flat Bread
Put a cast iron or heavy skillet on to heat up
Add 250g of plain white flour into a bowl
Add a pinch of salt
Add a good glug of extra virgin Olive oil
Pour in 125ml of warm water
Using a fork, mix until a rough dough starts to form
Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on a clean floured work surface for 5 minutes

Place dough in a clean bowl, cover and set aside for 15 minutes
Roll the dough into a long sausage shape and cut into equally sized 2-inch chunks
Roll each piece into a ball and then roll each ball into a 2mm thick flat round shape