PITA TO THE RESCUE

Pita to the Rescue

            Trying to reconcile the official arrival of spring on March 20^th with single digit nighttime temperatures takes real optimism. The clump of snowdrops next to our front steps is valiantly trying to ignore the snow bank just inches away and is just starting to show some white of the blossoms among the green leaves. Not that those green leaves do not speak for their own achievement this season.

            However, the belated arrival of our maple sugaring season gives me hope.  And as the days lengthen they invariably fill with all the extra chores and activities that signal the changing seasons. Which brings up for consideration not just the need for a lightened menu, but also the time required for preparing meals ‘on the run’. While one can argue about the globalization of economies, the food scene has certainly benefited from our globalization of tastes.  One example is the wide availability of pita bread.

            Pita is flat bread, slightly leavened and is one of the most ancient of breads. It has been a staple of the Mediterranean region for millennia and has been used to scoop up various dips such as hummus and even stews. There are whole wheat and white varieties of pita.  Baking at high temperatures causes it to puff and split in the middle, giving it the added useful feature of  a convenient pocket for stuffing with any array of tasty fillings, only limited by your imagination. And the good news is that half a large pita loaf is only 110 calories.

            My first encounter with pita came years ago at a Greek restaurant where it came stuffed with falafel (a deep fried patty of ground chick peas with a salad) or tiny succulent lamb kebabs with their own spicy sauce. Now that pita bread has become widely available at the supermarket, I find it useful whenever a quick meal is demanded. Like tacos, pita is a convenience staple for any kitchen. What is more, it allows you to combine a number of delectable items in an edible self-contained envelope, even if a knife and a fork may be advisable.

                                                Breakfast pita

            Fill each ½ of a warmed large pita bread with eggs scrambled with diced ham, sprinkle the eggs with some shredded cheddar cheese and tablespoon of chopped tomato and a dash or two of Tabasco, if desired.

            One of my favorite lunches is some hot or cold soup with open faced Danish type sandwiches, which unfortunately require a bit of time and a variety of decorative toppings. The Mediterranean version of pita sandwich is still decorative, equally tasty, but a bit less finicky to make.

                                                Luncheon pita sandwich

            These are easier to handle if you cut large pita bread first in quarters. Open up each quarter and spread with hummus (may be flavored), top with thin sliced smoked turkey or ham, then very thinly sliced English cucumber and close with the top layer of the pita. Spear each quarter sandwich with a toothpick and an olive or a cherry tomato.

            Stir fries adapt to pita filling equally well, especially at times when you are a bit short on time for cooking rice as an accompaniment.  The following recipe is for shrimp, but you could make it equally well with stir-fried chicken or beef.

                                                Shrimp and mushroom pita

            To prepare the filling: sauté on high heat 1 thinly sliced medium onion with 4 oz. sliced mushrooms in 1Tblsp. vegetable oil for 5 minutes, stir in ½ cup chopped red pepper, 1 ½  Tblsp. lemon juice, 1 Tblsp. fish sauce, ½ Tblsp. soy sauce, 2 tsp. sesame oil, 1 chopped tomato, ¼ cup broth and bring to boil. Stir in ¾ to 1 lb of cleaned medium shrimp and continue to cook stirring until the shrimp have turned pink and most of the liquid is evaporated. Stir in 2 chopped green onions and ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional). Serve in warmed pockets of large pita bread cut in half.

Served with a salad this makes and exceptional lunch dish, but would do equally well as a dinner entrée with some green beans or asparagus in hope of real spring.                       

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in Waldoboro and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)