Mary and Brian's Recipes

Cooked Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Salad with Whipped Feta and Pita
Category Appetizers
Events:
Ingredients
Matbucha (see Cook’s Note): 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped One 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes One 16-ounce jar or 2 large roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon granulated sugar Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Whipped Feta (Makes about 1 1/2 cups): One 8-ounce block feta, patted dry of brine 3/4 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic Zest of 1/2 lemon To Serve: Fresh herbs such as parsley, cilantro and mint Fluffy Pita, recipe follows Sliced Persian cucumbers Sliced red onion Sliced salami Lemon wedges Fluffy Pita: (or buy pitas) 3 3/4 cups (450 grams) bread flour, plus more for dusting (all-purpose is OK too) 1 1/2 tablespoons (19 grams) sugar 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet) instant yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 1 1/2 cups (360 grams) warm water (105 to 110 degrees F) 3 tablespoons (38 grams) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the bowl
Method
For the matbucha: Heat the oil in a nonreactive pot over medium heat. Add the paprika and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and roasted red peppers. Using the back of a wooden spoon, crush the tomatoes until broken down into small pieces. Add the sugar, 2 good pinches of salt and a bunch of turns of black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally (reduce the heat if it gets too spitty and violent), for 35 to 45 minutes, until thickened and dreamy sweet. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. For the whipped feta: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, add the feta, yogurt, oil, garlic and lemon zest and blend until smooth. To assemble: Spread the whipped feta on a large serving plate and top with the matbucha, a drizzle of olive oil and mixed fresh herbs. Serve with Fluffy Pita and accouterments. Fluffy Pita: (if making) In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add the water and oil and use a stiff rubber spatula or wooden spoon to mostly combine it into a shaggy dough. Knead, either on a work surface or adhere the bowl to the stand mixer and knead on medium speed (adding more bread flour if the dough is too sticky to work with), until the dough is smooth and slightly sticky, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, 1 to 2 hours. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Dust a clean work surface with flour. Turn out the dough and divide it into 8 equal-sized pieces, molding each into a ball by stretching the top and tucking the edges under. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, cover them loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 minutes. Arrange oven racks in the upper middle and lower middle positions. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. With a rolling pin, roll out the balls of dough into 6-inch circles. Return them to the prepared baking sheets and bake for about 5 minutes, or until they’re puffy and just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Serve warm.
Notes
This makes a large amount of matbucha, you may not use all of it on top of the feta, but it will keep for a few days in the fridge and is delicious as leftovers.
Rating: Unrated