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.

Finished meal complete

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

The 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
Charring eggplant
  • 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
Adding lemon juice
  • 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.
Mashing baba ghanoush
  • 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

 

Hummus finished
  • 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
Flatbread dough
  • 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
Flatbread rolled into balls
  • Add 1-2 pieces into the hot pan and once a bubble appears in the dough, flip them over
Flatbread cooking
  • Repeat this for both sides, being careful not to burn the bread
Baba Ganoush – the finished dish. Yum!

* Best served with an IPA or Chardonnay

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