Mezze: baba ganoush, marinated zucchini, and pita

I got home a bit early the other day, so decided to make mezze for dinner, including homemade pita bread. For the pita bread, I used a recipe from Martha Stewart, which I first used in 2004 (the printed copy in my recipe binder has a date on it). To accompany the pita bread, I made baba ganoush with some of the fairy tale eggplants from this week's box and some marinated zucchini.

I started the first step of the pita bread recipe, then it had to rise for an hour and a half.

While I was waiting for that step to be done, I started to prepare the eggplants. 

The farm newsletter suggested peeling off the green tops, then slicing off just the end of each eggplant.

I used a makeshift roasting pan, putting them into a 400 degree oven, checking in 10 minute intervals for the first 20 minutes, then 5 minute intervals for the last 10 minutes. (In other words, I ended up roasting them for 30 minutes.)

While the eggplants were roasting and the pita dough was proofing, I started the zucchini. I had a rather large zucchini from my mom's garden.

I sliced it in quarters because the zucchini was so large.

 Then I sautéed the zucchini with olive oil and salt.

Here's what it looked like after 10 minutes.

I then added some balsamic vinegar and cooked the zucchini for another minute or two before turning off the heat.

Then I added some mint from my herb garden.

Here's the zucchini with the chopped mint. I let it cool for a short time in the pan.

Then I moved it to a serving bowl, which I left out, covered with a dish towel, to cool to room temperature and continue to marinate.

By this time the eggplants were done. I took them out to cool for a bit.

Then I did the next step of the pita bread recipe, which required another hour and fifteen minutes to rise.

I then put the roasted eggplants into the food processor, added 2 heaping tablespoons of tahini, juice from 1/2 lemon, salt and about one tablespoon of olive oil, then blended it until smooth. Yes, you'll read recipes saying that you should mash the eggplant with a fork. I like the smoother texture from the food processor, plus then I leave the skins of the fairy tale eggplants on as well.

I then put the baba ganoush into a serving bowl, covered it with plastic wrap, and put it into the fridge. Then I had some time to wait.

Finally, the pita was ready to bake. The recipe calls for baking two at a time for 6-8 minutes, so you'll have time to prepare the rest of your dinner while the pita is baking in batches.

Here are the first two batches of pita cooling next to the baba ganoush and marinated zucchini. I also sliced a couple of cucumbers from this week's box and a couple of tomatoes that I bought at Verrill Farm.

Here's the finished pita, ready to serve.

Although it took over three hours to make the pita, it's pretty easy to do.