Before I share a second recipe from Heart of the Artichoke (Artisan Books, November 2010) by David Tanis let's talk about the story behind it.
David Tanis tells us about his introduction to Za' atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend based on a type of wild oregano.
He learned about za'atar from his sister "who encountered it, oddly enough, in Switzerland when she lived there. This sister, a nice Jewish girl, told me she learned about za' atar from an expat Palestinian woman who taught her to eat it with bread and olive oil. It became a symbol of their friendship."
Pita with Za’atar and Olive Oil Recipe
It’s always fun going through a Middle Eastern grocery, chockablock with all manner of spices, grains, beans, baklava, and Turkish coffeepots. There’s such a market in almost every big North American city. Most carry a wide assortment of breads, like good-quality pita and flat slabs of freshly baked lavash. In a pinch, use a loaf of fresh French bread.
Check out the spice bins in the market for za’atar. For a homemade version, you can use this blend.
Ingredients
For the Za’atar
1/4 cup fresh marjoram leaves
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup dried thyme
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons powdered sumac (optional)
2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
Pita bread
Olive oil
Preparation:
Heat a small dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marjoram leaves and let them toast and dry a bit, stirring with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Remove them to a bowl. Add the sesame seeds to the hot pan, stirring them as they toast a bit. Add to the bowl with the marjoram, along with the thyme, oregano, sumac (if using), and coarse salt. Transfer to an electric spice grinder or a mortar and grind or pound them to a rough powder. Put the za’atar in a small dish.
Warm the bread and cut into quarters. Pour some good fruity olive oil into a shallow bowl. Dip the bread in the oil, then sprinkle it with a pinch of za’atar.
(* Excerpted from Heart of the Artichoke by David Tanis (Artisan Books). Copyright 2010. Photographs by Christopher Hirsheimer)