We lied.

We said that the posts this week would be written in advance since we are on vacation, but I’m writing this one now. Now is not in advance.

See, we just spent the day touring Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island in the pouring rain, and we decided to treat ourselves to a brief siesta (mainly to dry off) before venturing out again. Since there’s wireless, I thought this might be the perfect time to share some unbelievable recipes from our pre-trip stop in Connecticut.

We made this flatbread and dip for pre-dinner snack (some will call this “appetizer”), and it floored everyone who tasted it. That, or Alex’s parents are superb fibbers. The grilled bread (adapted from this Baking Bites recipe) was so amazing! We threw raw dough onto the grill, and seconds later it became toasty, warm, beautifully-charred bread.

The baba ghanoush recipe is no less impressive. One summer, my mom made this recipe every single day, and each day she’d say that it wasn’t precisely correct. Then, one evening at the end of the summer, she announced that she’d done it right, and she stopped making it for about five years. Now we do it sporadically, and it’s a treat every time.

We can’t say enough wonderful things about these two delicious dishes, not to mention that magic that happens when they’re combined! This is probably among the most delicious combinations we’ve ever conjured, full of summery, grilled flavors that we love.

Flatbread
Ingredients:
1 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
1 cup water, slightly warm
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup cake glour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
olive oil
sea salt
optional sesame seeds or a sprinkle of sumac for garnish

Instructions:
Combine yeast and water in a small bowl. Stir, then let rest for about 10 minutes, until foamy. In a food processor, combine flours, salt, and sugar. Pulse for 5 seconds, and continue pulsing while adding the water mixture. Continue for about 1-2 minutes, until dough becomes smooth. Divide dough into balls, place them on a floured surface and cover them. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Then, flatten balls into thin disks, and preheat grill to 500 or high and lightly grease. Place dough on grill and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until browned.

Baba Ghanoush
Ingredients:
2 medium eggplants
2 cloves garlic, mashed
juice of two lemons
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup grenadine or pomegranate syrup
salt

Instructions:
Preheat grill to high. Place whole eggplants on grill. Cook each eggplant 10 minutes on one side, then rotate eggplants every 10 minutes for 40 minutes, until eggplants are completely charred black and soft all over. Remove from grill, and place in a bath of cold water until cool. Once eggplants are cool, remove skin and place flesh in a large bowl. Remove as many seeds as possible without taking out enormous chunks of the eggplant. Using a fork, pull apart pieces of the eggplant as though you are shredding chicken — it’s okay if some chunks remain. Stir in tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and grenadine/syrup, then salt and adjust seasonings to taste.