The Things We Love

There is little I love more than pita bread and hummus. I even grew up in an unusual family, filled with vegetarians, and many members that were not born in the United States. Therefore, as a first and second grader, I would show up in the school cafeteria with my flat bread, and bean paste, and get made fun of a little bit. When I ran out of both a couple days ago, and we're trying to use up food before we move, what was I supposed to do but make them from scratch? I had all the ingredients... Of course, I had to make tahini from sesame seeds and olive oil (surprisingly easy!), and it was a new adventure, but it all turned out great! Don't know if I'll buy them all from the store again! Quick rundown:

Tahini:

1 cup of sesame seeds

1/3 cup olive oil

-Process together in a food processer until smooth

Hummus:

1 can garbanzo beans

2 Tbl Olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup roasted red peppers

1 1/2 Tbl tahini

1 lemon (skin removed)

-All of these are largely to taste. Again, rev up that food processor!

Pita bread:

1 packet yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 1/2 tsp sugar

-Start the yeast in the warm water w/ the sugar, let it froth up (about 15 minutes)

3 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp salt

- Pour yeast into a well in the center of the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon. Add 1 cup of warm water, stir together. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and not sticky. Let it rise for 3 hours in a oiled, covered bowl.

- Roll into a rope, tear into 12 balls, cover and let rise for 10 minutes.

- Heat oven and cookie sheets to 500 degrees.

- Roll balls into circles 1/4 inch thick. Bake for 4 minutes until puffed, flip, bake another 2 minutes.

- Remove from oven, smush with spatula, store in bags.

See?!?! SOOOOO easy. And...I'm putting all this down from memory, so don't try this too quick, I might have to check on some measurements.