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Egyptian Meal -
Bread - Pita Bread
Ingredients:
Combine flour and salt in large bowl.
Make a small depression in the middle of flour and pour yeast water in depression.
Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic.
Place dough on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. When the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic, it has been successfully kneaded.
Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated.
Allow to sit in a warm place for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 10-12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 deg F. and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to also preheat your baking sheet.
Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.
Bake each circle for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 2 minutes.
Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking.
Take spatula and gently push down puff. Immediately place in storage bags.
http://mideastfood.about.com/od/breadsrice/r/pitabreadrecipe.htm
- 1 package of yeast, or quick rising yeast
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup lukewarm water
Combine flour and salt in large bowl.
Make a small depression in the middle of flour and pour yeast water in depression.
Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic.
Place dough on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. When the dough is no longer sticky and is smooth and elastic, it has been successfully kneaded.
Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated.
Allow to sit in a warm place for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 10-12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 deg F. and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to also preheat your baking sheet.
Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.
Bake each circle for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 2 minutes.
Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking.
Take spatula and gently push down puff. Immediately place in storage bags.
http://mideastfood.about.com/od/breadsrice/r/pitabreadrecipe.htm
Appetizer - Tomato & Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Tomato-And-Lentil-Soup-My-Recipes
- 2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
- 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups dried lentils
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, divided
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 dried red chile pepper
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
http://www.yummly.com/recipe/external/Tomato-And-Lentil-Soup-My-Recipes
Side 1 - Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet or shallow baking dish (9x13) with your favorite cooking spray. For easy cleanup, you can line your baking sheet or pan with aluminum foil and then spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Next, begin to slice and cut vegetables. There is no rule to follow here, but I prefer to slice the carrots, zucchini, squash, onions, and peppers. Potatoes are delicious in cubes or for small white potatoes, in quarters.
After chopping and slicing, place vegetables in a single layer on baking sheet or in dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Add desired amount of salt and pepper. Sprinkle with garlic powder, thyme, and cumin.
Place in heated over and cook for 45 minutes, or until vegetables can be pierced with a fork. Serve immediately.
http://mideastfood.about.com/od/vegetarianrecipes/r/Middle-Eastern-Style-Roasted-Vegetables.htm
- 3 small to medium white or yellow potatoes
- 1 medium sweet potato or yam
- 1 zucchini
- 1 butternut squash
- 4 large carrots or 1 cup of baby carrots
- 1 medium red or yellow onion
- 1 green or red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- kosher or seal salt (optional)
- black pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1/8 tsp cumin
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a cookie sheet or shallow baking dish (9x13) with your favorite cooking spray. For easy cleanup, you can line your baking sheet or pan with aluminum foil and then spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
Next, begin to slice and cut vegetables. There is no rule to follow here, but I prefer to slice the carrots, zucchini, squash, onions, and peppers. Potatoes are delicious in cubes or for small white potatoes, in quarters.
After chopping and slicing, place vegetables in a single layer on baking sheet or in dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Add desired amount of salt and pepper. Sprinkle with garlic powder, thyme, and cumin.
Place in heated over and cook for 45 minutes, or until vegetables can be pierced with a fork. Serve immediately.
http://mideastfood.about.com/od/vegetarianrecipes/r/Middle-Eastern-Style-Roasted-Vegetables.htm
Side 2 - Hummus
Ingredients:
Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.
Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).
Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.
http://mideastfood.about.com/od/appetizerssnacks/r/hummusbitahini.htm
- 1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
- 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
- 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.
Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).
Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.
http://mideastfood.about.com/od/appetizerssnacks/r/hummusbitahini.htm
Main - Falafel
Ingredients:
Drain chickpeas, and place in pan with fresh water, and bring to a boil.
Allow to boil for 5 minutes, then let simmer on low for about an hour.
Drain and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) in medium bowl. Add flour.
Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together. You can also combine ingredients in a food processor. You want the result to be a thick paste.
Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly flatten.
Fry in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees until golden brown (5-7 minutes).
Serve hot.
Directions: http://mideastfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/falafelrecipe.htm
- 1 cup dried chickpeas or 16 oz. can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans.
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons flour
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oil for frying
Drain chickpeas, and place in pan with fresh water, and bring to a boil.
Allow to boil for 5 minutes, then let simmer on low for about an hour.
Drain and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper (to taste) in medium bowl. Add flour.
Mash chickpeas, ensuring to mix ingredients together. You can also combine ingredients in a food processor. You want the result to be a thick paste.
Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly flatten.
Fry in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees until golden brown (5-7 minutes).
Serve hot.
Directions: http://mideastfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/falafelrecipe.htm
Dessert - Egyptian Chocolate Butter Cookies
Ingredients:
-20 tbsp. ( 2 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
-2 oz. Cocoa Powder
-1 tsp. Espresso Powder
-7 oz. Granulated Sugar
-1/4 tsp. Salt
-2 large Egg Yolks
1. Melt 4 tbsp. butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa and espresso powder and stir until mixture forms a smooth paste. Set aside to cool.In a mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream the remaining 16 tbsp. butter and sugar. Add the salt and cooled cocoa mixture, mixing on high speed until combined and fluffy. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.Add yolks and vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl once more. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the flour in three parts. Scrape the sides of the bowl after each addition of flour.Mix until the dough forms a ball. Divide the dough into three disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the disks until the dough has firmed yet soft enough to roll out, about 45 to 60 minutes.Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 375°. Roll out the dough disks on a lightly floured surface and use desired cookie cutters to create personalized shapes and sizes.Place cut out shapes 1 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheet using a metal spatula. Bake until cookies show slight resistance to the touch, about 10 to 12 minutes. Make sure to rotate the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. If cookies begin to darken around the edges they have overbaked.
Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets. Transfer cookies to a wire rack by carefully lifting the parchment from the baking sheet to cool completely. Repeat process until all remaining dough and scraps have rolled, cut and baked.
http://honeybeespatisserie.com/2011/09/05/egyptian-chocolate-butter-cookies/
-20 tbsp. ( 2 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, softened
-2 oz. Cocoa Powder
-1 tsp. Espresso Powder
-7 oz. Granulated Sugar
-1/4 tsp. Salt
-2 large Egg Yolks
- 1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract
- 11.25 oz. Pastry Flour
1. Melt 4 tbsp. butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa and espresso powder and stir until mixture forms a smooth paste. Set aside to cool.In a mixer, use the paddle attachment to cream the remaining 16 tbsp. butter and sugar. Add the salt and cooled cocoa mixture, mixing on high speed until combined and fluffy. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl.Add yolks and vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl once more. Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the flour in three parts. Scrape the sides of the bowl after each addition of flour.Mix until the dough forms a ball. Divide the dough into three disks and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the disks until the dough has firmed yet soft enough to roll out, about 45 to 60 minutes.Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 375°. Roll out the dough disks on a lightly floured surface and use desired cookie cutters to create personalized shapes and sizes.Place cut out shapes 1 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheet using a metal spatula. Bake until cookies show slight resistance to the touch, about 10 to 12 minutes. Make sure to rotate the baking sheets halfway through the baking time. If cookies begin to darken around the edges they have overbaked.
Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets. Transfer cookies to a wire rack by carefully lifting the parchment from the baking sheet to cool completely. Repeat process until all remaining dough and scraps have rolled, cut and baked.
http://honeybeespatisserie.com/2011/09/05/egyptian-chocolate-butter-cookies/