Cooking Class Recipes

These are the recipes for the Chef Paul Cooking Class. The online cooking class is part our Greeting, Eating, Treating online classes in celebration of Israel, April 8-18, 2021.

If you have signed up for the online cooking class, make sure to pickup all of your ingredients. Chef Paul Cooking Class is a Zoom event you attend at home.

Disclaimer: While the ingredients are complete, these recipes may a little vague in some places. Chef Paul will provide details during the online class. Sign up today! Online cooking classes with Zoom are really fun! Let’s greet, eat and treat!

Chef Paul is Paul Nirens from the Galilee area of Northern Israel. Mr. Nirens runs a hospitality business named Galileat, providing “true grass roots cultural experiences, based around food, working closely with a wide variety of host families in the Galilee region of Northern Israel.”

Recipe 1: Pitta with Labaneh and Za’atar

This is a two-part recipe made with (1) dough and (2) topping.

Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C).

Dough Ingredients

Note: This recipe uses yeast, but does not take a long time to rise.

• 240 gr/1/2 lb whole flour
• 240 gr/1/2 lb. white flour
• I.5 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup water

Dough Preparation

Note: You can definitely make this in the food processor with the dough attachment or upright mixer.

• Mix flours together and add sugar and yeast. Mix well.
• Add salt (do not add salt and yeast together. Important to add separately) 
• Add oil and mix well. Add as much water as needed to make a smooth dough.
• Knead dough at least 15 minutes, until dough is smooth and soft.

Topping Ingredients

• 1/2 cup za’atar spice mix
• 1 tub labaneh
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• I teaspoon salt

Topping Preparation

Mix everything together in a bowl.

Putting it all together!

Chef Paul will provide more details at the class, but in preview:

• Roll out dough balls thinly into circles.
• Spread 1 tablespoon of topping on to flattened dough so that it covers the pitta evenly.
• Bake pitot in the hot, pre-heated oven.

Recipe 2: Fatoush Salad

This recipe uses salad ingredients plus croutons.

Ingredients

For croutons

• 2 pitta bread
• I tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon zaatar mix

For salad

• 3 medium ripe tomatoes
• 3 cucumbers
• 1 onion
• 1 cup (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 200 gr strong flavored Bulgarian style goat’s or sheep cheese (Brinza or feta)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1 teaspoon sumac