chips and dip

this sack of pita bread and an eggplant have been wallowing at the bottom of my fridge, sadly forgotten until today when i was inspired to make a bit of baba ghanoush and pita chips. such a simple dip to make as long as you have a supply of tahini on hand - otherwise making hummus or baba ghanoush might require an extra trip to a specialty shop for ingredients. and pita chips are almost as easy to make as buttered toast. seriously.

baba ghanoush:

1 eggplant, cut length wise

3 tablespoons tahini

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 clover garlic, minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

sea salt & pepper to taste

drizzle a bit of oil on the bottom of a baking dish and swirl the eggplant in the oil to coat. bake eggplant face up in a 475 degree oven for about 40 minutes until very tender and golden brown. once removed from the oven, let cool before diving in with a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the eggplant - (i like to snack on the charred eggplant skin, but maybe i'm just odd). in a food processor, blend the eggplant innards and the remaining ingredients until smooth. drizzle with olive oil to serve. (makes about 2-3 servings)

smokey-spiced baked pita chips ~ serves 5-8

10oz package whole wheat pita bread

¼ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)

½ - 1 teaspoon harissa paste (optional)

¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper or aleppo chili flakes

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

preheat oven to 400 degrees. cut pita bread in half and use kitchen scissors to cut around the rim to separate the two sides. lay the half-moon-shaped pitas out on a work space, inner side face up. whisk oil with spices in small bowl. use a brush to thinly coat the inner side of the pita with oil. stack the pita and use a large knife to cut into 3 equal triangle shapes. scatter the cut chips out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. roast until lightly browned and crisp. turn and rotate chips every few minutes to cook evenly. place baked chips out on paper to cool. adjust seasoning to taste.