Go Greek!

Last week I reverted back to my super brilliant idea of weekly menu planning. Because I am, um, well...a bit OCD. I like to make sure my meals have coordinating side dishes and even sometimes crudites. I'm also determined to try new recipes from my thousands of cookbooks (okay 57 to be exact, but isn't that still a little much?!) For some reason, about half of my cookbooks do not have pictures. I need to see the picture. So these sad little cookbooks sit in the dark, rarely opened. No more! I will be flexible! I will mentally picture a culinary masterpiece! But I will do it maybe one or two new recipes a month. This month, I decided upon something Greek.

We have zero Greek restaurants near us, which is quite disappointing. (When I say near us, I mean from here to NYC...and I'm not taking the kiddos into the city for a gyro!) Last week I came across a recipe for pita bread and was immediately inspired! I know, it's nothing too fancy, and I only made falafel sandwiches with a Greek salad and some hummus and sliced yellow peppers....but it was delicious! So, I'm sharing the recipe for any other Greek starved readers:

4 minute Pita
1 pkg quick rise yeast
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
dash of sugar
1 cup bread flour

Dissolve the yeast in the water and whisk to blend. Add salt, wheat flour, and sugar and mix using a wooden spoon until well combined. Gradually add the bread flour until dough becomes smooth. Knead on floured surface, 5 min. Divide into 8 portions and stretch into rounds, about 6 inches in diameter. Place on pizza stones that have been sprayed with butter non-stick spray, flipping once to coat. Let rise 20-30 min and bake for 4- 6 min in a preheated 500 degree oven. Serve immediately.

Tatziki Sauce
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
2 cloves pressed garlic
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup dried parsley
1/4 cup peeled and diced cucumber

Combine ingredients and return to the fridge for 1 hour before serving.

Falafel Sandwiches
6 pita rounds, warm
18 pan sauteed falafel balls, 2 inches in diameter
prepared tatziki sauce
thinly sliced cucumber
thinly sliced tomatoes
1/8 cup red onion slivers

Assemble sandwiches so each pita has 3 pieces of falafel. Fold pita in half and serve warm with hummus and veggie sticks.


(Confession: my falafel was a box mix. Shhh!)