Middle Eastern-style plates
Prepare a Middle Eastern feast fit for a party, including crispy chickpeas, homemade hummus and a smoked aubergine dip.
Ingredients
For the crispy chickpeas with pomegranate and hummus
- 2 x 400g tins chickpeas
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp allspice
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 1 garlic clove
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú tahini
- handful finely chopped parsley leaves
- 80g/3oz pomegranate seeds
- Turkish pepper flakes or sumac
- salt
- breads and dippy things, to serve
For the roasted tomato and feta dip
- 200g/7oz feta
- 500g/1lb 2oz cherry tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 50g/1¾oz full-fat yoghurt
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ tsp Turkish pepper flakes (optional)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the smoked aubergine dip with crispy lamb
- 2 aubergines
- ½ lemon, juice only
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú yoghurt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 500g/1lb 2oz 20% fat lamb mince
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 4 tsp Turkish pepper flakes
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 40g/1½ oz butter
- handful finely chopped parsley leaves
- salt
Method
To make the crispy chickpeas and hummus – preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Drain 1 tin of chickpeas. Rinse and drain off the excess water. Transfer to a baking tray and pat dry with kitchen paper. Add the garlic powder, smoked paprika, oregano, allspice, a pinch of salt and the olive oil. Mix well and roast for 20–25 minutes until crispy.
Meanwhile, make the hummus. Drain the other tin of chickpeas, reserving the chickpea water from the tin. Put the chickpeas, 120ml/4fl oz of the chickpea water, the lemon, garlic, tahini and a good pinch of salt into a blender and blend until super smooth. If it looks a little thick, add 2 tsp–1 tbsp more chickpea water.
Tip the crispy chickpeas into a bowl, add the parsley and pomegranate seeds and mix together. To serve, swirl the hummus onto a serving plate. Top with the chickpeas and sprinkle over some Turkish pepper flakes. Serve immediately with anything dippy you like.
To make the roasted tomato and feta dip, keep the oven on at 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Pop the feta into the centre of a baking dish and add the tomatoes. Drizzle over the olive oil and add the dried oregano and plenty of salt and pepper. Toss the tomatoes in the oil and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the tomatoes are bursting and a little charred.
Pop the feta, half the tomatoes (make sure you drain off the juice before adding to the blender), yoghurt, garlic and a little pinch of salt into a blender and blend until smooth.
Swirl the feta dip onto a serving plate and top with the remaining tomatoes. Spoon over a little of the tomato juices and the Turkish pepper flakes, if using. Drizzle over a little olive oil and dive in.
To make the smoked aubergine dip with crispy lamb, carefully prick the aubergines with a knife and cook over a gas flame until well charred on all sides and very soft. Alternatively, pop them in the oven on a baking tray (at the same temperature – 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6), until charred and completely soft which should take 30–40 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, peel the aubergines and add to a sieve or colander over the sink to drain for a few minutes, then finely chop. Tip into a mixing bowl and whisk to make even creamier. Add the lemon juice, garlic, yoghurt and a good pinch of salt and mix together.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a high heat and add the lamb. Stir-fry for 8–10 minutes until golden and cooked through. Add the tomato purée, half the Turkish pepper flakes, oregano, a pinch of salt and 50ml/2fl oz water. Mix until the lamb is coated in the sauce that’s been created.
Finally, melt the butter in a small frying pan on a medium heat and add the remaining Turkish pepper flakes and some salt. Mix together.
To serve, spread the aubergine dip onto a serving platter. Scatter over the crispy lamb and drizzle over the butter. Add the parsley and dive in.
