Hummus and Pita bread

There's a wonderful Greek restaurant in Honolulu called the Olive Tree. I especially love their hummus and pita bread. I woke up this morning with an intense craving for it..but they don't open until 5pm!! What is a girl to do?

I already have a hummus recipe that I like, but I have never made pita bread before. I looked through my bookmarked recipe, and found the pictures of these non-denominational bread the closest to the one at Olive Tree.

The hummus is good, but just not quite the same as Olive Tree's. The pita bread was very good!! They have a slight crunch on the outside and a soft middle. A perfectly yummy bread for hummus. It's not quite the same as Olive Tree's, but it will do until my next visit. Till then, I am a happy camper! Here are the recipes.

Turbo Hummus
adapted from Alton Brown

2 to 3 cloves garlic
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and liquid reserved
2 to 3 tablespoons tahini (see note)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Pinch kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (see note)

1. Blanch the garlic cloves in boiling water for 10 seconds (see note). Chop the garlic finely in a blender (see note).

2. Add the beans and 1/2 of the reserved liquid and process finely or to desired consistency. Add the tahini, lemon zest and juice, black pepper, and salt. Process until it forms a paste. Drizzle in the olive oil and process until it reaches the consistency of mayonnaise.

Notes:

• *The original recipe uses smooth peanut butter. I tried both peanut butter and tahini and found tahini to have a better, more authentic taste.
  
  
• *The original recipe uses 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil. I only used about 1/4 cup and if it's still too thick, I add the reserved garbanzo bean liquid.
  
  
• *I blanch the garlic cloves in boiling water to take away the strong, bitter taste of the garlic cloves. You can also put the cloves in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
  
  
• *The original recipe uses a food processor, but I find I need a blender to get a really smooth consistency.
  

Non Denominational bread
adapted from MissJ9 at Nibbledish

1 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (110ºF)
2 tbsp full-flavored olive oil
2 2/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt
oil and salt for cooking

1. Bloom yeast in warm water; stir in gently and let sit for five minutes.

2. Add olive oil and flour and stir to combine well. Sprinkle in salt and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.

3. Let dough rest in a warm area in an oiled bowl covered with a clean dishcloth. Let the dough rise for between thirty minutes to one hour, or until dough is doubled in size.

4. Turn dough out onto very lightly floured surface and divide with sharp knife or bench scraper. The number of dough pieces you cut is dependent on the size and thickness you desire in your end product.

5. Heat up your grill or cast iron skillet. Roll the dough pieces into desired flatbread shape and thickness. For a crispier flatbread, stretch or roll until the dough is translucent.

6. Brush one side of the dough with olive oil (not too much!) and apply, oil-side down, to preheated skillet or grill. It may take a few trials to gauge appropriate cooing temperature.

7..Once the dough is in the pan, brush the other side with oil and sprinkle with a little salt. When the flatbread is well-browned on the first side, turn it over.

8. Keep flatbreads warm. They also re-heat nicely in the oven or toaster.