Spiced Eggplant & Mushrooms Sandwich

Spiced eggplant & mushrooms wrapped in a warm pita with hummus and veggies.  An easy meatless sandwich with Mediterranean flavor.

I really love Greek gyro sandwiches of lamb, veggies, and tzatziki wrapped in a warm, soft pita.  So, when I had leftover Spiced Eggplant and Mushrooms and fresh pitas I had to try making a sandwich.  This sandwich would have been great with tzatziki and tomatoes but I didn't have any on hand so I used some hummus, cucumbers, and green onions.   It was delicious, flavorful, and very filling and I can't wait to make it again.

Spiced Eggplant & Mushrooms Sandwich

Ingredients:

Spiced Eggplant and Mushrooms
Pita
Hummus
Cucumbers, optional
Green onions, optional
Tzatziki, optional
Tomatoes, optional

Lay out a sheet of aluminum foil long enough to wrap around the sandwich.

Place a warmed pita on top of the aluminum foil, with 1/2 of the pita hanging off the foil.

Spread pitta with hummus then top with the spiced eggplant and any of the optional ingredients you want.

Gently fold up the foil wrapping the end of the sandwich as you go.

Enjoy.

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Spiced Eggplant and Mushrooms

Eggplant, mushrooms, and rice cooked in Mediterranean spices and served over hummus.  A delicious, flavorful, and filling vegetarian one pot meal.

I was very impressed with my Spiced Lamb and hummus and wanted to make something similar.  The Mediterranean spices were just so flavorful I couldn't stop thinking about them.  I love the warm, earthy, spicy flavors of cinnamon, paprika, allspice and cumin (to name a few).  They brighten any dish.  I probably could have tried the same recipe with beef of chicken but I really wanted to make a vegetarian meal so here's what I came up with.  It was delicious and filling and very scoop-able.  I served the spiced eggplant and mushrooms on top of homemade Hummus with pita, cucumber slices, and broccoli (I love scooping hummus with cucumbers and broccoli).  It was a very satisfying meal I will make again.

Spiced Eggplant and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

2-4 Tbsp Mediterranean Spice Mix
1/4 tsp cayenne or hot chili powder (optional)
1 medium eggplant, cubed (about 4 cups)
1 onion, chopped
15 crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dried red cargo rice (or brown or wild)
2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Heat a little olive oil in a large stock pot.  To the oil add the eggplant, onion, and mushrooms.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons of the Mediterranean spice mix.

Cook uncovered until eggplant has softened.  Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute or two then add the rice.

Stir and mix the rice well and cook for a few more minutes then add the broth.  Bring to a boil then lower heat to and simmer until rice is cooked (about 30 minutes).

Taste for seasoning and add more spice mix, salt, and pepper as needed.

To plate:  spread 2 Tbsp hummus in a circle in the center of a plate.  Top the hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.  Top this with spiced eggplant and mushrooms.

Serve with cucumber slices, broccoli, and pita.  Makes about 6 servings.

Enjoy.

Linked to:  Two Cup, Teach Me, Lou Lou Girls, Tickle My Tastebuds, Tasty Tues, Whimsy, Wonderful wed,TYSH, Eat Create, Foodie Friends, Freedom, Best of the weekend, Sat Night Fever, Share Sun, See ya in Gumbo, Merry Mon

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Pepper and Onion Breakfast Pizza

A crunchy and delicious breakfast pizza with roasted peppers and onions atop cream cheese on a pita with a beautiful egg center stage.

I do not like eggs.  I keep trying them in a variety of ways, but no matter what I have tried I just do not like plain eggs.  However, I have found I enjoy eggs if they are with other ingredients.  I like quiche with bacon and plenty of cheese, and I like scrambled eggs with salsa.  This Breakfast Pizza is another way I can enjoy an egg.  Here the egg lies in the center of roasted peppers and onions atop a cream cheese spread pitta and is baked until set.  I found this recipe on another blog but it was called a Galette and was atop a sour cream spread puff pastry.  I never have puff pastry on hand, I'm sure it is delicious but I'm kind of bitter that it isn't something I can make so I almost never buy it.  I had just recently made Ricotta Bread Pitas so I used that instead.  Since the bread base is thicker and hardier than puff pastry I also decided to use cream cheese and I call it a pizza because I'm not sure if I can call it a galette anymore.  No mater what I call it, it is good.

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 large red onion, sliced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
dash cumin
dash coriander
2 pitas
2 Tbsp cream cheese (or try fresh ricotta)
2 large eggs
a few snips of fresh cilantro

Toss the peppers and onions with spices and some olive oil.  Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400F for 20 minutes until soft and caramelized.

Spread about 1 Tbsp of cream cheese on each pitta.  Then, top with roasted peppers and onions.  Make a kind of well in the center and pour in a cracked egg being careful not to break the yolk (I crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl or ramekin, then pour it onto the pizza).  Bake pizzas at 425F for about 10-15 minutes until eggs are set.

Remove pizzas from oven and top with a sprinkle of fresh snipped cilantro or parsley.  Makes 2 individual pizzas.  Enjoy.

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Ricotta Bread (Sourdough)

A delicious sourdough made with fresh ricotta cheese.

*Submitted to YeastSpotting
Now on YeastSpotting 1.18.13 

I made some fresh ricotta cheese at home the other day.  It was my first time, and it was so easy.  Anyway, that is for another post but it gave me the idea of putting some ricotta in a bread recipe.  I used the same recipe (or formula) as Potato Garlic Bread, but replaced the potato with ricotta, and omitted the garlic while adding some honey.  The result was this beautifully browned loaf with a tight and soft crumb.  This makes it great for sandwiches.  The flavor is great,  sour with just a hint of cheese, it can be used for either sweet or savory purposes.  I'm already thinking about what else I can add when I make it again.

Ingredients:

14 oz barm
14 oz bread flour
.30 oz salt (1.5 tsp)
6.75 oz ricotta (a little over 1 cup)
1 oz honey
1 oz olive oil

The night before, prepare the barm.  I used 2 oz of my sourdough starter and built it to 14 oz by adding 6 oz flour and 6 oz water (I keep my sourdough starter at 100% hydration, that means equal parts flour and water for this recipe I used whey that was leftover from making the cheese).  Stir until all of the flour is hydrated and leave, covered, overnight.  After 10-12 hours the barm should be very bubbly.

The next day add the barm, flour, salt, ricotta, honey, and olive oil to the bowl of a stand mixer.  Using the paddle attachment (or a spoon if by hand) stir until all the flour is hydrated and ingredients form a ball, you may need to dribble in some more water to hydrate all of the flour.

Switch to the dough hook and knead for about 6-8 minutes on medium low speed (or 10-15 by hand) until dough becomes smooth and elastic.  It should be soft and tacky but not sticky (add more flour as necessary to reach this consistency).  Place dough in oiled bowl, rolling it to coat all sides with oil, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 4 hours until doubled in size.

Once risen, cut dough in half and form two boules (round loaves).  Place on a parchment covered baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise for 2 more hours, them bake at 400F for 20 minutes, turn 180 degrees and continue baking for 15-20 minutes more until browned all over. Let cool for at least 1 hour before cutting and serving.

I did not want 2 loaves so I made 4 pitas with half of the dough.  After the first rise, instead of forming the second boule, I cut the dough into 4 pieces of about 4 oz each.  Then I rolled them out and baked them (at 500F) until they puffed.

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