{"id":236,"date":"2011-03-05T11:24:56","date_gmt":"2011-03-05T11:24:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/suppersfromscratch.wordpress.com\/?p=88"},"modified":"2013-04-21T21:02:22","modified_gmt":"2013-04-21T21:02:22","slug":"two-scoops-of-realisation-and-a-turkish-meze","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/?p=236","title":{"rendered":"Two scoops of realisation and a Turkish meze"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Friday lunchtime this week, I sat down with my friends and watched them chow down on a veritable feast of falafel. Both of them had fluffy white pitta breads stuffed with salads, hummus, chilli and falafel.\u00a0 Meanwhile I nibbled away at a pot of Edamame beans and a banana.<\/span><\/p>\n

The gulf in the appetite whetting nature of our lunches was mostly down to my bad organisation, but it spurred two important thoughts. One: when can I eat falafel and pitta, I want it now! and two: I need more interesting lunches.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

I have always said this project is not about deprivation but experimentation and love of food. So I just need to start making sure that I\u2019m having good food every meal rather than just elaborate weekend feasts and salads for the rest of the week.<\/span><\/p>\n

This spurred on my new campaign for March, which I have titled \u201c Interesting Lunch Month\u201d \u2013 but as the month is only just starting perhaps its better off to delve into that minefield another time.<\/span><\/p>\n

So that was issue two dealt with (well, at least started). Now for the more immediate solution to problem number one: how to get some pitta inside my belly as soon as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

I decided I would make some over the weekend. However as always with these things one minute I am planning some simple falafel and pitta and the next its \u201cTurkish feast at mine 8pm\u201d (I learnt from last time and invited people that little bit later- although as you will see it didn\u2019t really make any difference). And thus the day started like all weekend feasts – with a trip to the shops to get everything.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although this time I had a plan and I didn\u2019t want to spend all day cooking. I worked out I would start at 6pm and finish at 8pm = perfect timing for some great food.<\/span><\/p>\n

As I have previously said I am a planner, but clearly very optimistic with my time management, as nothing took too much time – it was just I had a lot to do and this time there was no \u201csue\u201d in sight.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

I won’t sell my friends short though as they did a good job of either helping out or getting out of the way. We got around to dinner in the end even though it was about 45 minutes late – although as they say good things come to those who wait.\u00a0 (It was just a shame everyone had to wait so long)<\/span><\/p>\n

Anyway to the menu for my Turkish dinner (well maybe Greek or middle eastern- as I don\u2019t think this is really authentically Turkish- either way we can say Turkish inspired)<\/span><\/p>\n

Hummus\"\"<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Tzasiki<\/span><\/p>\n

Calamari<\/span><\/p>\n

Greek Salad<\/span><\/p>\n

Pitta bread<\/span><\/p>\n

Lamb Kebab<\/span><\/p>\n

Chicken Kebab<\/span><\/p>\n

Falafel<\/span><\/p>\n

And a lemon tart for dessert.<\/span><\/p>\n

So at 6pm I embarked on the start of my dinner party preparations thinking I was fine for time \u2013 another grave time-keeping error!\u00a0 But time management aside the food was really pretty simple.<\/span><\/p>\n

I won’t give you every recipe for the sake of being slightly more concise but there were definitely some key elements that made the meal what it was.<\/span><\/p>\n

Hummus <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ingredients<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

200g\/7oz chick peas, drained<\/span><\/p>\n

Juice of 1 lemon,<\/span><\/p>\n

1 clove garlic<\/span><\/p>\n

1 tsp sesame oil<\/span><\/p>\n

small handful mint<\/span><\/p>\n

1 tbsp olive oil<\/span><\/p>\n

pinch of salt<\/span><\/p>\n

Method <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There isn\u2019t really a method to this- just bung it all in a food processor and blitz together \u2013 you may need to add some more oil to get a smooth enough consistency.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tzatsiki<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Again a very simple dip to make, which was apparently the \u201cstar of the show\u201d. I really recommend making this as it was so easier and very satisfying \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n

Ingredients <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00bd cucumber<\/span><\/p>\n

1 clove garlic, mashed<\/span><\/p>\n

pinch of salt<\/span><\/p>\n

bunch mint, chopped<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00bd lemon<\/span><\/p>\n

1 tbsp olive oil<\/span><\/p>\n

250ml\/9fl oz Greek yoghurt<\/span><\/p>\n

Method<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Chop the cucumber into small cubes, place in a sieve and allow to drain (I found they didn\u2019t drain that easily by themselves so I found gently pressing down through the sieve did the job)<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. In a large bowl mix the garlic, a good pinch of salt and one third of the mint. Add a squeeze of lemon and the olive oil, mix well<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Add the yoghurt, followed by the drained cucumber. Mix well and store in the fridge until needed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Both these dips were so simple to make and bung in the fridge for later, and they tasted pretty darn good! I think they also serve as a brilliant dinner party snack, with a few carrot sticks they kept hungry guest at bay for that little bit longer!<\/span><\/p>\n

    After whipping these up I cracked on with the dish of the day and original inspiration: falafel<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Ingredients <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained<\/span><\/p>\n

    1 garlic clove, chopped<\/span><\/p>\n

    handful of flat-leaf parsley<\/span><\/p>\n

    1 tsp ground cumin<\/span><\/p>\n

    1 tsp ground coriander<\/span><\/p>\n

    1\u20442 tsp chilli powder<\/span><\/p>\n

    2 tbsp plain flour<\/span><\/p>\n

    Sunflower or Vegetable Oil for frying<\/span><\/p>\n

    Method <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Pat the chickpeas dry with kitchen paper. Tip into a food processor along with the garlic, parsley, spices, flour and a little salt. Blend until fairly smooth, then shape into circular balls. ( just a note \u2013 I think these needed more salt \u2013 so maybe worth adding some extra, as they were on the bland side)<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Heat the oil in a saucepan; add the falafel, then quickly deep fry until lightly golden. Remove from pan and pat off excess oil with kitchen paper. (When I put to 5 falafel in my pan at once they started to fall apart so I think its best to cook them a few at a time and give them enough space to turn)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      I remade these again for one of March\u2019s interesting month lunch lunches and had the satisfaction of eating my From Scratch falafel whilst my friend munched down on her store bought- Falafel Fridays are definitely a hit!<\/span><\/p>\n

      Then I embarked on my second type of bread \u2013 Pitta!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      Ingredients\"\"<\/a> <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      450g white plain flour<\/span><\/p>\n

      1 tsp fine-ground sea salt<\/span><\/p>\n

      1 tsp white sugar<\/span><\/p>\n

      2 sachets (14g) fast-action dry yeast<\/span><\/p>\n

      300ml tepid water<\/span><\/p>\n

      1 tbsp olive oil<\/span><\/p>\n

      Method<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      1.\u00a0\u00a0 Mix the flour, salt, sugar and yeast together in a bowl. Stir in the warm water and olive oil and mix until it comes together as dough.<\/span><\/p>\n

      2.\u00a0\u00a0 Knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 min until smooth. Place in a large, clean bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise for 2 hours in a warm place.<\/span><\/p>\n

      3.\u00a0\u00a0 Punch the dough down, and knead for 1 minute. Cut the dough into 12 pieces, shape into balls, and set aside for 10 min.<\/span><\/p>\n

      4.\u00a0\u00a0 Heat the oven to 200C\/Gas 6. Roll each ball into a fine, flat oval.\u00a0 (Just to note this takes time! And some sort of baking skill I\u2019m yet to acquire- it was almost like you need a pitta whisperer analyzing your technique!)\u00a0 Bake on a lightly floured tray for 6 to 7 min, until puffy, soft and pale. Wrap in a slightly damp tea towel until cool. To serve, place in a hot, dry pan for a minute or two until warm. (I served mine straight away so didn\u2019t do this second part- but good to know just in case)<\/span><\/p>\n

      (oh and just as an aside watching the pitta puff up is very exciting! If only I had an oven camera \ud83d\ude42 )<\/span><\/p>\n

      And finally my favorite part \u2013 the dessert.<\/span><\/p>\n

      This was based on a Mary Berry recipe. My general rule is if in doubt go with Mary \u2013 the woman is a legend- every recipe always tastes great!\u00a0 It was my first attempt at making pastry or lemon tart and I wont lie I was very pleased with the final result. Again something that\u2019s definitely worth a try \ud83d\ude42<\/span><\/p>\n

      Lemon Tart\"\"<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      For the pastry<\/span><\/p>\n

      225g\/8oz plain flour<\/span><\/p>\n

      150g\/5oz cold butter, cut into small cubes<\/span><\/p>\n

      25g\/1oz icing sugar<\/span><\/p>\n

      1 free-range egg, beaten<\/span><\/p>\n

      2 tbsp water<\/span><\/p>\n

      For the lemon filling<\/span><\/p>\n

      9 free-range eggs<\/span><\/p>\n

      300ml\/\u00bd pint double cream<\/span><\/p>\n

      350g\/12oz caster sugar<\/span><\/p>\n

      6 large lemons, finely grated zest and juice<\/span><\/p>\n

      Method<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Preheat the oven to 200C\/390F\/Gas 6.<\/span><\/li>\n
      2. For the pastry, place the flour, butter and icing sugar into a food processor. Blend until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, then add the egg and water. Blend again until it forms a ball. Roll out the pastry very thinly on a floured work surface until just a little bigger than the size of a 28cm\/11 deep, loose-bottomed tart. Line the tart tin, letting the extra pastry overhang over the sides of the tin. Place on a baking sheet and then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.\u2028<\/span><\/li>\n
      3. Bake the pastry blind, lining the tin with greaseproof pastry and filling with baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven until pale golden-brown. Remove from the oven and remove the baking beans and paper. Carefully trim the excess pastry off around the sides using a sharp knife. Return the empty pastry shell to the oven for another 10-12 minutes or until it is completely dry. Set aside to cool. (I also bunged the edges in the oven \u2013 which was brilliant as they satisfied a hungry boy genius at around 6.30pm- its good when nothing goes to waste)<\/span><\/li>\n
      4. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 180C\/350F\/Gas 4<\/span><\/li>\n
      5. Measure all of the filling ingredients into a bowl and whisk together until smooth. Carefully pour the filling mixture into the cooled baked pastry case.<\/span><\/li>\n
      6. Transfer to the oven and bake for a 40-45 minutes or until just set but with a slight wobble in the middle. (Mine actually took about 50 mins to get there so do check just in case :))<\/span><\/li>\n
      7. Leave to cool a little or completely then remove from the tin, transfer to a serving plate and dust with icing sugar to serve. (I actually baked mine in a pastry dish and served straight out \u2013 this avoided any issues with it falling apart during the transfer)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        This for me was definitely the star of the show for me, not only did it look amazing, but it tasted delicious and was sooooo satisfying. In short, a lemony dream. This will definitely be added to the \u2018how often can I eat lemon tart without being greedy\u2019 recipe rotation.<\/span><\/p>\n

        This is a snipit of what I thought I could get done in 2 hrs \u2013 I think in fact its taken me more than that to actually get it all down on paper. Although I think optimistic cooking is sometimes the best way to go. Usually things turn out great and if they don\u2019t there is always lemon tart.<\/span><\/p>\n

        It was nice to end the evening feeling pleasantly full and knowing my guests seemed reasonably happy. It\u2019s very satisfying to cook for other people and know they have enjoyed it. But hopefully this next month will prove its just fulfilling to cook for yourself.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        On Friday lunchtime this week, I sat down with my friends and watched them chow down on a veritable feast of falafel. Both of them had fluffy white pitta breads stuffed with salads, hummus, chilli and falafel.\u00a0 Meanwhile I nibbled … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[139,138],"tags":[141,270],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=236"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1455,"href":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/236\/revisions\/1455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.suppersfromscratch.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}