Friday, November 21, 2008

Middle Eastern Dinner

I made this huge Middle Eastern themed platter for dinner one night. I am loving Middle Eastern food lately.

This is what's on the platter:
kalamata olives
onions marinated in lemon juice
toasted pita bread
roasted red squash seeds, similar to pumpkin seeds
raw almonds
sesame sticks (like pretzels)
hummus (store bought)
kasseri cheese
lebni (yogurt cheese)
eggplant spread

To make the eggplant spread:
Preheat oven to 400F. Prick a whole, large eggplant all over with a fork. Bake on a sheet pan for about 30 minutes until so tender the eggplant is mushy. Remove from the oven and cool. Scoop out the flesh and put into a bowl. Smash up the eggplant really well with a fork. Add a couple tablespoons of lemon juice and a big pinch of salt. Also, add a couple tablespoons of olive oil and of tahini. You can add some minced garlic or garlic powder if you'd like. Add a small handful of toasted pine nuts and a couple spoonfuls of yogurt (if you want the dairy). Mix everything really well.

No comments:

Post a Comment