Homemade Pita Chips with Olive Tapenade and Greek Salad

Crunchy little Pita Chips are fun to make yourself. Buy some pita bread, cut it in wedges, brush it with olive oil and sprinkle with your favorite seasoning (thyme, sea salt, majoram, paprika, etc). Bake it at 375 for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Serve the pita chips with Olive Tapenade, Hummus or a fabulous greek salad and you'll have a great snack, or lunch, or dinner....

Greek Salad

(from Ina Garten)

Ingredients

• 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 1 red bell pepper, large-diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 red onion, sliced in half-rounds
• 1/2 pound feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
• 1/2 cup calamata olives, pitted

For the vinaigrette:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup good red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup good olive oil

Directions

Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl.For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Add the feta and olives and toss lightly. Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

Olive Tapenade

1 cup Niçoise olives, pitted
1 cup small green French olives (Picholine), pitted
¼ cup Oven-Dried or sun dried Tomatoes, drained
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed if packed in salt
1 garlic clove
1 anchovy fillet
½ tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
½ tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
½ tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
(¼ tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves) optional
½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

In a food processor, combine all the ingredients except the olive oil and orange juice. Using the pulse button, process until coarsely chopped and well blended. Continue to process, slowly adding the olive oil and orange juice. Refrigerate in a covered container. Use as needed.
Tapenade will keep up to 1 week, refrigerated, in a covered container.

Ricotta Tart

Think of a savory cheesecake, but much lighter and with Mediterranean flavors. This Ricotta Tart is great for lunch with a green salad, or as an appetizer. The crust needs to be baked beforehand so plan ahead. I also followed Yotam's recommendation and added goat cheese to the filling which gave it a nice, slightly sour flavor.

Ricotta Tart
(Yotam Ottolenghi)
6 - 8 servings

• 200 g/7 oz shortcrust pastry (I used the recipe below)
• 30 g/ 1 oz unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 3 eggs
• 2 yolks
• 500 g/ 17.6 oz ricotta
• 20 g/ 2 Tbsp chopped basil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 200 g/ 7 oz sundried tomatoes (plus a little of their oil)
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme

1.Heat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3. Roll out the pastry and cut out a circle that is just slightly larger than the base of a 24cm /9,5" spring-form cake tin. Place this inside the tin and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cover with baking paper and baking beans, and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down.

2.Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan over low-medium heat, then sauté the onions and four of the garlic cloves, stirring from time to time, for 20 minutes or so, until the onions are soft and sweet but haven't taken on any colour. Set aside to cool.

3.Whisk the eggs and yolks in a large mixing bowl, preferably with an electric mixer, until light and airy. Add the ricotta carefully and work just until it is well incorporated. Fold in the onion and garlic mix, basil, salt and pepper, then pour over the pastry and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until just set.

4.While the tart is in the oven, blitz the sundried tomatoes, the picked leaves of three thyme sprigs, the reserved chopped garlic, a pinch of salt and a few tablespoons of the tomato oil – you want a smooth paste. Spread this mix evenly over the top of the tart as it comes out of the oven, top with three whole thyme sprigs, then return to the oven for five minutes. Remove, leave to cool, and serve warmish or cold.

Shortcrust Pastry

150 g / 3.5 oz AP Flour

75 g/ 2.64 oz cold Butter, diced

30 ml/ 1oz Ice Water

Pinch of salt

Mix everything together quickly either with your fingers or with a food processor until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Spanish Tapas - Tomato Bread and Chocolate Bread

CATALAN TOMATO BREAD

I have to tell you about this amazing snack that you eat in Catalunya all the time. A Catalan meal is unimaginable without a slice of bread rubbed with a tomato half and drizzled with good fruity olive oil. It is served in Spain as a breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is called pan tostado con tomate or pa amb tomaquet and has almost achieved the status of a Catalan national dish.
Sometimes it is topped with anchovies, cheese or ham, so feel free to add this to the bread if you like.

Catalan Tomato Bread
(The New Spanish Table)

1 piece (9 to 10 inches long and at least 2 inches in diameter
dense, chewy baguette, cut in half lengthwise
Fragrant extra-virgin olive oil
2 fat garlic cloves (optional), cut in half
1 large ripe but firm tomato, cut in half crosswise
Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

1. Light the grill and preheat it to medium or preheat the broiler.

2. Brush the cut side of each baguette half very lighly with olive oil and rub it with garlic, if using.
Grill or broil the bread until golden, about 45 seconds, watching out that it doesn't burn around the edges.

3. When the bread is just cool enough to handle, rub the cut side of each half with the cut side of a tomato half, pressing down on the tomato to extract some of the pulp. Drizzle more olive oil over the bread and sprinkle it with salt. Cut each baguette in half on the diagonal into roughly 1 1/4 inch pieces and serve at once.
serves 4


CHOCOLATE TOSTADA WITH OLIVE OIL AND SALT

Catalan people love to mix sweet and salty flavors. I do too, and when I first tasted this incredible bread I was in chocolate heaven. Combining bread, melted dark chocolate, salt, and olive oil is a Catalan tradition and is fun and unusual.

Try it and see for yourself why the combination of these flavors is so irresistible. Serve it for breakfast, tea, or as a dessert

Chocolate Tostada with Olive Oil and Flaky Salt
Tostada de chocolate con aceite de olivia
(The New Spanish Table)
serves 4 - 6


5 to 6 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate (at least 70 % cacao), grated
1 piece (9 to 10 inces long and least 2 inches in diameter) dense, chewy baguette, cut in half lenghtwise
fragrant extra-virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon

1. Preheat the broiler.

2. Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler and melt it over simmering water. (or do it in the microwave.

3. Brush the cut side of each baguette half very lightly with olive oil. Broil the bread until golden, watching out that it doesn't burn around the edges. (Alternatively, you can toast the bread.)

4. Spread the cut side of each baguette half with the melted chocolate, drizzle a little olive oil over the chocolate, and judiciously sprinkle it with salt. Cut each baguette half on the diagonal into roughly 1 1/4 inch pieces and serve at once.

Tomato Tart

A couple of weeks ago I bought the book "Harvest to Heat" from Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer. On the cover of the book is a beautiful picture of a tomato tart and that picture was pretty much the reasons why I  bought the book. I was convinced that something that pretty had to be good and it turned out that I was absolutely right. A crunchy, buttery crust is filled with only a small amount of flavorful cheese and then layered with colorful Heirloom tomatoes. I know that it is not really 'tomato time' right now but sometimes you have to escape the cold winter here even if it is only through your food. My picture does not do the one in the book justice,  but let me tell you, the tart really looked fantastic and tasted even better.

Crème Fraîche Galette with Heirloom Tomatoes

by Naomi Pomeroy

Many varieties of summer's best heirloom tomatoes should be used for this rustic, French country-style tart. It can be served with various soft cheeses mixed with practically any herb that is abundant and in season.

Serves 4 to 6One 12-inch tart

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For the galette
1 cup all-purpose flour; plus more for the work surface 
1/2 tsp. coarse salt; plus more for the tomatoes 
1 tsp. baking powder 
1 stick (1/4 lb.) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 
1/2 cup crème fraîche, chilled (I used sour cream)
1 pint tomatoes, a combination of heirloom cherry tomatoes and other tomatoes, cut in half or
sliced if large 
1/3 lb. semi-hard sheep's milk cheese, such as manchego (I used Parmesan)

For the garnish (optional)
1 bunch microradishes or baby radishes, washed and trimmed 
1 cup microgreens 
Extra-virgin olive oil 
Red-wine vinegar 
Coarse salt 

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Make the dough
Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and butter pieces in the bowl of a food processor or in a medium bowl if blending by hand. Blend just until the butter is incorporated into the dry ingredients, making sure not to overmix (some butter the size of peas is fine). Mix in the crème fraîche, again making sure not to overmix. Turn the entire mix out onto a cutting board and gently push it together into a pile. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Make the fillingPut the tomatoes in a colander and sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Lay the tomatoes on several sheets of paper towel to drain (dried tomatoes will make a crisp tart).

In the meantime, heat the oven to 425°F. Dust a work surface well with flour and roll the dough into a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Dust flour under the dough if it starts to stick.
Carefully slide a rimless baking sheet under the dough. Leaving a 3-inch boarder, scatter the cheese on top of the dough, then arrange the tomatoes evenly over the cheese. Fold the edges of the dough over the tomatoes, making pleats as you fold and leaving the center of the tart open.
Bake the galette until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool on a rack.
While the galette cools, lightly dress the microradishes and microgreens with a bit of olive oil, some vinegar, and coarse salt. Drizzle the top of the galette with a touch of olive oil and a sprinkle of coarse salt. Slice the galette and serve with a few dressed microradishes and greens, if desired.

Chocolate Caramel Cracker

Around my house there is a certain kind of food that never lasts long. It seems as if it secretly disappears: suddenly it is all gone and no one knows where it went.
Last year my daughter and I found these amazing chocolate caramel crackers that everyone loved. Since we ran out of Christmas cookies already, my daughter decided to make the crackers again this year and everyone went crazy. It only took her about 30minutes to make them, which includes baking time and it was  super easy. Initially I was going to give them to my neighbor as a gift but by the time I got around to putting them in a bag there were barely any left. My daughter already made twice the amount from the recipe but it still wasn't enough, so trust me when I say that you won't have enough of these crackers!

• Chocolate Caramel Cracker
• Adapted from Smittenkitchen and David Lebovitz, who adapted it from Marcy Goldman who is the genius that first applied this to matzo
• 
  
• 4 to 6 sheets matzo, or approximately 40 Saltine crackers or crackers of your choice
• 1 cup unsalted butter, (2 sticks or 8 ounces) cut into a few large pieces
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• A big pinch of sea salt
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cup semi-, (or chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate) or bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup toasted chopped almonds, (optional) pecans, walnuts or a nut of your choice
• Extra sea salt for sprinkling, (optional)

1.Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet completely with foil, and then line the base of the foil with parchment paper, cut to fit.

2.Line the bottom of the baking sheet with matzo or crackers, covering all parts. [If using matzo, you'll need to break pieces to fit any extra spaces, which will be annoying because despite being perforated, it does not actually break in straight lines. I have some luck pressing a serrated knife straight down along a section between perforations, if that (hopefully) makes sense.]

3.In a medium heavy-duty saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together, and stir it over medium heat until it begins to boil. Once it has begun boiling, let it bubble for three more minutes, stirring it well. It will thicken a bit as it cooks. Remove from the heat and add the salt and vanilla, and then quickly pour it over the matzo or crackers. You'll want to spread it quickly, as it will begin to set as soon as it is poured.

4.Bake the caramel-covered crackers for 15 minutes, watching carefully as it will bubble and the corners might darken too quickly and/or burn. You can reduce the heat if you see this happening.

5.Remove from oven and immediately cover with chocolate chips. Let stand five minutes, and then spread them evenly across the caramel. An offset spatula works great here. If you're using them, sprinkle the chocolate with toasted chopped nuts and/or sea salt. (The sea salt is great on matzo. On Saltines, it's really not necessary.)

6.Once completely cool ‚ I sometimes speed this process up in the fridge, impatient as should be expected in the face of caramel crackers, break it into pieces and store it in a container. It should keep for a week but I've never seen it last that long.