Hummus with Pita and Greens
Makes: 4 servings
Time: About 25 minutes with cooked chickpeas
This is more salad than sandwich. I make this open-faced, with the crunchy pita and spread nestled under a pile of greens. But you can easily deconstruct the dish and serve the pita (toasted or not) alongside for scooping up the hummus. Or if you have pocket pitas, smear the insides with the hummus and fill with the stuffed greens for a more portable lunch. (To make just hummus, follow Step 2.)
4 whole wheat pitas
2 cups drained cooked or canned chickpeas, some liquid reserved if possible
½ cup tahini (with some of its oil), or more to taste
2 cloves garlic, peeled, or to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin or smoked paprika (pimentón), more or less, plus a sprinkling for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more as needed
6 cups lettuce or assorted salad greens, torn into pieces
Cucumber slices, tomato wedges, thinly sliced red onion, and/or black olives, for garnish
½ cup chopped fresh mint or parsley leaves, for garnish
1 To toast the pitas if you like, heat the oven to 450°F. Put them on a baking sheet and cook until just barely crunchy on both sides, about 15 minutes total.
2 Meanwhile make the hummus: Combine the chickpeas, tahini, garlic, and ¼ cup of the oil in a food processor with the spice and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Use the reserved bean liquid (or water) as necessary to get machine going. Purée, then add about half of the lemon juice, along with more tahini or salt if desired.
3 When the pita has cooled smear a layer of hummus on each and put on plates. (You’ll probably have some left over; the hummus will keep, refrigerated, for about a week. Eat it with raw vegetables or on bread.) Put the lettuce in a bowl, sprinkle with some salt, pepper, and a pinch of the spice you used and drizzle with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Toss well then pile on top of the pitas. Garnish and serve.
Hummus with Dried Tomatoes: Omit the tahini. Cover ½ cup (or more) dried tomatoes with boiling water and soak until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain (reserve the liquid for another use) and follow the recipe, substituting the tomatoes for the tahini.
Vegetarian Sandwich Ideas
Once you buy into the idea that a sandwich doesn’t have to include meat, you can enjoy all sorts of good stuff, whether slipped between two pieces of bread, served open-faced, wrapped in a tortilla, or stuffed in a pita pocket. Any of these ideas for veggie sandwiches will work with the breads in this book: Almost No-Work Whole Grain Bread, Hybrid Quick Bread, or Easy Whole Grain Flatbread. Or try warmed whole wheat or corn tortillas, pitas with or without the pocket, whole grain lavash, or store-bought whole grain loaves.
Greek Salad Sandwich: Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cucumbers, and feta cheese in a pita pocket, drizzled with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
Mediterranean Wrap: A whole wheat tortilla filled with either Not Your Usual Ratatouille or Salade Niçoise with Mustard Vinaigrette; or a simple mixture of white beans, arugula, olive oil, and chopped black olives.
Tex-Mex Sandwich: Whole wheat sandwich bread smeared with lightly mashed black beans, and topped with chopped avocado, tomatoes, chiles, red onions, and pickles.
Caprese Sandwich: Whole grain flatbread or lavash filled with thinly sliced mozzarella, thick slices of tomato, basil leaves, and Olive Oil Drizzle.
Garden Sandwich: Multigrain sandwich bread spread with a smear of hummus or tahini mixed with a little water, and filled with tomatoes, sprouts, radishes, cucumber, and minced chives.
Leftover Sandwich: Any roasted or grilled vegetables, chopped up and served in pita pockets or rolled into a lavash or tortilla wrap. Garnish as you like with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, or other condiments.
ALT: Avocado, tomato, and lettuce on toasted whole wheat bread; smear of mayo optional.
Mushroom Sandwich: Grilled or broiled portobello mushroom with roasted garlic on whole wheat bread or bun.
Nut-Wich: Lightly mash something delicious, smear it on toasted bread, then sprinkle chopped nuts on it. Some excellent combos: banana, honey, and almonds; avocado and peanuts; sweet potatoes and hazelnuts; apricots and almonds; peaches and pistachios; roasted beets and walnuts.
Bread Spread: Any vegetable or bean spread, with lettuce, tomatoes, and thinly sliced onions.