Mezze is a selection of small plates, typically eaten as appetizers in countries such as Greece and Turkey. These three mezze dips: Hummus, Muhammara & Baba Ganoush, combined with fresh vegetables and some of my favorite Mediterranean pairings makes for a delicious meal. The hummus is a traditional chickpea spread. You’ll use tahini and blend it in stages to make the perfect smooth texture. Muhammara is a favorite of mine! It combines sweet peppers and walnuts into a nutty spread that is filling and perfect served along fresh crunchy vegetables. Finally, roasted eggplant combined with olive oil and garlic makes for a rich, flavorful Baba Ganoush.
Get creative with a fresh Mediterranean salad, pita sandwich or a large platter, perfect for serving guests or bringing to a party. It also makes for a very fun dinner, where everyone can choose exactly what they want. The entire dish makes fantastic leftovers too. There are so many different options and you’ll have the opportunity to try these three very different and very delicious spreads. I’d love to know which one you like best!
Yield: 4-6 meal sized portions + leftover mezze dips
Cook time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
For the Baba Ganoush
1 eggplant, peeled* (see note below) and cut into 1-2 inch cubes
1 and ½ Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
For the Muhammara
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pickled sweet peppers, drained from the juice in the jar. Sweet cherry peppers or Juanita piquante peppers are great options.
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
½ cup bread crumbs. Feel free to use GF. Don’t have bread crumbs? Crumbled crackers work too.
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp high quality balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp paprika
For the Hummus
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp salt
1 15 oz can chickpeas
¼ tsp ground paprika to sprinkle on top
Accompaniments, Salad & Sandwich Ingredients
1 red bell pepper, seeds and stems removed and sliced thin
½ red onion, peeled and sliced thin
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
½ cucumber, peeled and sliced
4-6 pitas
Dolmas, artichokes, olives and any other favorite Mediterranean additions. All optional.
2 cups lettuce. Optional for making Mediterranean salad.
Preparation
Step 1: Preheat your oven 400°. Spread the peeled and cubed eggplant pieces on a large baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread the walnuts for the Muhammara out on a separate baking sheet. Roast the eggplant in your oven for 20 minutes, turning at the 10 minute mark. Add the walnuts to the oven to toast at the same time you add the eggplant and remove them from the oven at the 10 minute mark. Set the walnuts aside.
Step 2: Meanwhile, begin making your hummus. In a food processor or blender, add the tahini and lemon juice and blend for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and then blend for another 30 seconds. Add the following ingredients for the hummus: garlic, olive oil and salt to the blender and blend for another 30 seconds. Again, scrape down the sides of the blender and blend again for 30 more seconds or until smooth. Add half of the chickpeas to the blender and blend for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the blender, add the remaining chickpeas and blend again until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. At this point, the hummus will likely be thick. To reach the desired texture add water, 1 Tbsp at a time to the blender (preferably while it is turned on, if possible). You’ll want to add ~2-3 Tbsp of water until you have reached the best consistency. Transfer the hummus to a serving bowl. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and sprinkle with paprika. Place on a serving tray or set aside for serving. Clean out your food processor or blender to prepare for making the Muhammara.
Step 3: Once the walnuts are done roasting, add them to a food processor or blender along with the remaining ingredients for the Muhammara. Blend the ingredients until it takes on a crumbly consistency. If necessary, add equal parts additional olive oil and lemon juice (up to 1 tsp of each) to reach desired consistency. I prefer the Muhammara to be crumbly and chunky and not overly blended. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl. Place on the serving tray or set aside for serving.
Step 4: Once the eggplant has finished roasting, transfer it to a medium size bowl. Add the remaining Baba Ganoush ingredients and combine by mashing with a large fork or potato masher. Transfer to a serving bowl. Place on the serving tray or set aside for serving.
Step 5: Plate your ingredients or prepare salads and pita sandwiches. How exactly you serve these plates is up to you. If serving on a platter, add the 3 serving bowls with the mezze dips to the platter along with chopped vegetables, artichokes, dolmas, olives or any other accompaniments. Place the pita on the tray or serve on the side so everyone can make their own plates. Use lettuce and the vegetables to start Mediterranean salads and then add the dips on top. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
*Note on peeling the eggplant. Eggplant skin is thick, but can be easily peeled with a quality vegetable peeler. This tool is inexpensive and one of the best kitchen tools to help make cooking plant-based ingredients easier and more fun. I love this one.
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