A side effect of my interest in cookbooks is I can’t use them as fast as I buy them. I first came to know the three Moro cookbooks from an addictive warm salad of squash and beans. It took a long time before all of the books arrived at my doorstep. By then, I already turned my attention to something else. My loss, really. Because the Moro cookbooks contain so many gems! I’ve been missing out.
I was looking for Heidi Swanson’s recipe for sweet potato spoon bread which led me to an old post of hers on Baked Sweet Potato Falafel. I run across plenty of interesting recipes everyday and usually file them in my to-cook list. However, there was something about “sweet potato” and “falafel” together which inspired me to make them the very next day. I was rewarded with morsels of roasted mashed sweet potato redolent with nuttiness of chickpea flour and crispy shell of sesame seeds. It took lots of self-control to quit at just two. I had bigger plans for these baked falafels!
Falafels make me think of mezze, a spread of small dishes full of vibrant Mediterranean flavours from Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, and Lebanon. That association had me digging out Moro The Cookbook immediately. Tabbouleh! Flatbread dusted with za’tar! Tahini sauce! I eagerly waited for Saturday to come along so I could prepare a fantastic meal.
I had yet to do any bread baking for March and making flatbread (pita) seemed so much fun. The recipe was remarkably similar to pizza dough with addition of olive oil. It started off very sticky and I had a tough time kneading the dough. I judiciously added pinches of flour until the dough was pliable but tacky. After the initial rise, I chilled the dough instead of baking it right away as I went about my day with a few errands. When it was time to bake, I topped each pita with za’tar (black sesame seeds, thyme, oregano, sumac). The smell of baked bread and herb was amazing!
Tabbouleh is a refreshing accompaniment to the falafels with its mix of flat leaf parsley, green onion, mint, tomato, and bulgur. Fresh herbs play a huge role in Moro’s version and it’s fantastic. The dressing of garlic, allspice, cinnamon, lemon juice, and olive oil added the perfect touch of spice for that exotic taste.
I love falafel sandwiches with the smooshed morsel inside the pocket of pita bread. Of course, a drizzle of creamy garlicky tahini sauce is mandatory. There’s a recipe for that in Moro The Cookbook too! I stirred together tahini, grated garlic, lemon juice, salish (smoked salt), black pepper, and enough water to thin the sauce.
Mezze is a great option for picnic or any casual meal with friends. I don’t do it often enough but the success of this dinner inspire me to make a larger selection next time with better preparation. I would love to make labneh balls next time and a few more vegetable dishes too. All the better reason to try a few more recipes from my Moro cookbooks!
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