Middle Eastern Dips and Bread

Hummus
500 g chick peas
1/4 Cup lemon juice
1/3 Cup Tahini
2 tablespoon cold water
1 Tablespoon olive oil for garnish
Parsley chopped, for garnish
Paprika for garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix chick peas, lemon juice, tahini and water in a food processor until a smooth paste is formed. Garnish with paprika, parsley and olive oil.

Muhammara (Hot Pepper Dip)
3 medium onions, finely chopped
½ Cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
¾ Cup crushed walnuts
¾ Cup breadcrumbs blended with cold water to a purée
2 Tablespoons paprika
Pinch of ground cumin
Salt
1 tablespoon pine nuts sautéed in a little oil

Using a deep frypan, sauté the onions gently in the oil until soft and golden. Add the walnuts, breadcrumb purée, paprika, cumin and salt to taste. Continue to sauté gently on a low heat until the ingredients are well blended - about 12 minutes. Remove from the heat, place in a bowl and garnish with pine nuts.

Baba Ghannouj (Eggplant Dip)
1 large eggplant
1 clove garlic
1/4 - 1/2 Cup lemon juice
3 Tablespoons tahini
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 180 C and bake eggplant for 30 minutes, or until outside is crisp and inside is soft. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Place eggplant flesh in a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mash together, or pulse in a food processor hand. Place in serving bowl and top with lemon juice and olive oil.

Za'atar flatbread
1/3 Cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon ground sumac
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Pita Bread
Mild paprika, extra, to serve
Olive oil, extra, to serve

Combine the sesame seeds, sumac and thyme in a mortar and pound with a pestle until crushed. Place the bread, in a single layer, on 2 baking trays. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with sesame mixture. Bake for 5 minutes or until crisp.