Mezze Inspired Parcels
I am mad about trying out new products especially foods from other parts of the world. So when the team from Mediterranean Delicacies approached me about creating a recipe products from their rather extensive range, I was over the moon.
After finding the range at my local supermarket I literally bought everything they had including olives,hummus (two types), phyllo pastry and a salty modified cheese. Now I had to think what exactly I could create with my favourite ingredients.
The ingredients I bought are typically found in a Mezze selection. A mezze is a number of small dishes that are often served in sharing platters before a meal or with drinks. Â The origins of this are found in Arabic ,Turkish and Greek homes. I love this concept as it is a great way of entertaining. With all this in mind I knew that I wanted to create a Mezze Inspired dish.
Suddenly I had a flashback to my 21st Birthday when Mum made the sweet phyllo pastry parcels. These were such a treat so using that idea I started playing around with flavours and ideas. I knew that a balance of flavours would be needed and I needed a sweet flavour. With that in mind I made a red onion jam. Here is the recipe :
2 red onions
1 tsp oil
3 cloves of garlic
100ml grape vinegar
75g sugar
15ml freshly ground black pepper
Method :
- Fry onions in oil till they soften 8/10 minutes.
- Add the remainder of the ingredients and allow to cook for 15min on a low heat.
3. Remove from heat allow to cool and put into the refrigerator. I still needed to build on the flavours especially the salty modified cheese.To this soft cheese I added an Arabic dukkha and Sumac mix which added subtle flavours and added texture. Combined with this Arabic flavour I decided to use the Zataar Hummus. I then decided on layering these flavours within a crispy phyllo pastry case.
Method :
- Use 2 sheets of phyllo pastry at a time be gentle when working with this pastry. Brush melted butter onto each sheet before placing one on top of the other. Cut the pastry into three long strips.
- In the middle of each put a dollop of the cheese and dukkha mix. On top of that add the red onion jam and finally the hummus.
- Fold the strip into a parcel and twist to form a package.
- On a greased tray put the parcels into the oven on a medium heat to bake for 5/8 minutes till the tops are browned.
This is a perfect afternoon snack and can be served for a posh brunch. The Mediterranean Delicacies is available at Pick n Pay ,Checkers and Food Lover’s stores.
What fillings would you put inside your parcel?
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Be Inspired !
Ciao