I remember
going to a real Egyptian wedding in Australia when I was in my early
teens. It was the only one that stands
out in my memory for several reasons but one of them was that I got to go
to the reception and sit on a table with other young people and it was also the
time that I first came across pita chips made this way. I remember it distinctly because I couldn't stop
eating them and they were only the entrée!!!
They were presented on a platter with baba ghanoush dip and hummus and
probably some others I don't recall now.
Almost every day as a teen when I came home after school I would have the munchies and my favourite food was flat bread (which is known by many names, such as Pita chips, flat bread, aysh balady, Bread خبز, pita bread, Khubz, khoubz or khobz) that I
would butter and then grill until crunchy.
Sometimes I would add a slice of cheese and savor its melted stretchy goodness once it was cooked. I always thought this was the way
to make bread crunchy (either grilled or baked in the oven) but at this wedding, oh, I
was in heaven. (Yes, I dare say that I didn't
have a huge interest in much as a teen if one of my greatest joys was crunchy
buttered bread!).
Those pita
chips (as I call them now) at that wedding were perfect.
Lightly browned and salted and super crunchy and I never replicated this at home (didn't know
how) until this year when I happened to be planning the menu for a new cooking class. I wanted something different from what I
had done before since I knew that I would have people coming who had already
completed my 6 week course. As I
was thinking back to what I enjoyed eating the memory of these pita chips jumped into my mind. Straight away I thought yes,
I have to start with that!
It was only
then that it occurred to me that the bread must have been fried! All through my teens I had tried to replicate the bread at the wedding with the oven or grill. So, naturally I took
aysh balady from the freezer, thawed it out and tested my theory. I can’t tell you how excited I was when I saw
the bread turn the perfect colour and contort in various shapes as it dried in
the hot oil. I seasoned it lightly with
sea salt flakes and then… CRUNCH…mmmmmm delicious.
They are the simplest thing really but gee I love them.
I sat with the boys and had the bread with some home made Tzatziki سلطة زبادى (Salatat Zabadi) - you can watch the video at:
So we made
pita Chips with a couple of dips at the cooking class and as I suspected they were a
big hit so next time you are feeling peckish or want a really great accompaniment
to dips for a party platter then give these a go, you wont be disappointed!
You could also try making them with some melted cheese or some herbs sprinkled over them.
To watch the video click the picture below or follow the link to YouTube on:
Being a Sunday I like to take
it easy and have a relaxed day, both in the kitchen and out. Meals are not as complicated and perhaps not
as nutritionally balanced as during the week but what I like the most is to
have an easy dinner. Something without
too much effort or without too many dirty dishes! My favourite easy dinner is Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen and it has been a favourite ever since I was a child. Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen is kind of like mezze (small snack like things) and to me is dinner
without work. Enjoyed by everyone who eats it because you only eat what
you like! Basically, it is a whole
variety of ingredients chopped up and placed on a platter. It is a healthy meal with plenty of fresh
vegetables, meat and/or eggs. People sit
around the platter and each person then assembles whatever they like on bread,
or crackers and then eats it. Wonderful fresh food which is great in Summer when cold food appeals so much.
I remember eating like this on
Sunday nights growing up. My dad was
tasked with getting dinner since my mum did all the cooking during the week. Dad would empty out most of the fridge of
cheeses, vegetables and meats and then set to work cutting and slicing them
all. This was so exciting because it was
also the only time we got to eat while watching television. Sunday night cartoons on Disney. How I loved those times and the memories. So much so that I really want to recreate them
for my own children.
Click on the picture below to watch the video of Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen
Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen
I have actually also had this
as a meal for a casual dinner party with friends. It was such a big hit since it is easy and fun
with hands moving in all directions picking up foods of different colours. Building little towers of food that thrown
into mouths whole or is crunched and crumbled and falls onto plates. This is definitely not a knife and fork meal
but who says they all have to be.
Gather together for Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen:
A selection of bread or
crackers such as Salada biscuits, Savoy, water crackers or pita bread(aish balady)
A selection of cheeses such as
Feta, Gouda, Parmesan and Cheddar
A selection of deli or cooked
meats such as ham, turkey or chicken and salami
Tomato halved and sliced
Lebanese cucumbers sliced
A small onion or several
radishes very thinly sliced
Boiled eggs sliced
Olives, pitted
Pickled cucumber, sliced
Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen
You could add anything else
you liked such as sliced
Avocado,
Dips such as Hummus or Baba
Ghanoush,
Steamed vegetables
Lettuce
Capsicum or peppers
As well as cooked and sliced
meats such as Kofta or sausage, etc. which are great too.
Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen
Farmer’s food غذاء الفلاحين Aqul el Fellaheen
Place platter on a table. Sit around it with friends or family and
build little towers with cheese, meat and vegetables as you like. Eat and Enjoy!
