Page 19 The Islamic Bulletin Volume XXIV No. 28 Egyptian Pita / Aish Baladi The pita is unique in that it is 100% whole wheat, a nutritionist’s dream. It’s thick and airy on the inside, and has speckles of cracked-wheat throughout. Makes 16 pitas Ingredients • 2 teaspoons dry yeast • 2.5 cups lukewarm water • 5-6 cups whole wheat flour • 1 tablespoon salt • 1 tablespoon oil In a large bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the warm water. Stir to dissolve. Stir in 3 cups of flour, one at a time and then stir about one minute to activate the gluten. Let this mixture (called sponge) rest for at least 10 minutes, and up to two hours. Sprinkle the salt over the sponge and stir in the oil. Mix well. Add more flour, one cup at a time, until the dough is too stiff to stir. Turn it out onto a slightly floured surface and knead 8-10 minutes until smooth & elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and place in a warm place to rise (approximately 1.5 hours). Once the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and divide it in half. Divide each half into 8 equal pieces and flatten each piece into a circle less than an 1/4 inch thick. While you allow the circles to rise again (covered), preheat your oven to the highest setting, place as many dough rounds as you can comfortably fit on it (leave a few inches space between each round). Bake for two to three minutes until the bread has puffed up like a balloon. Tips: Poke holes in the dough right before baking. If you don’t want it to be puffed up. For a softer bread, shorten cooking time. Enjoy! Pomegranate and Dates Smoothie The pomegranate has become a very popular super-fruit in recent years due to its high anti-oxidant capacity. Pomegranates, which are high in vitamin C and potassium, are a good source of fiber and contain three different types of polyphenols, a potent form of antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals, and the antioxidants found in whole foods have been linked with protection against almost every major modern disease. Ingredients • 4 cups pomegranate juice • 300 g date paste • 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk • 1¾ cups skimmed yogurt or 320 g, frozen • Crushed ice Preparation Combine all the ingredients together in a blender except the crushed ice. Blend for 5 minutes until smooth; add ice and blend again for 2 minutes. Serve in a large, chilled glass. Enjoy! Cook’s Corner
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