Tourte (Provence- France)
4 servings

flour (400 g) beets, spinach, nettles, dandelions (2 kg) fresh
goat cheese ,grated cheese eggs (3) water (1 cup) milk (1 cup)
salt, pepper, olive oil

1.Prepare the dough by mixing together the flour, water, 1
teaspoon of olive oil and salt. Let the dough stand for 15 min.
2.Pre-heat the oven to 450®F (230®C). 3.Prepare the fresh
vegetables: wash, chop finely, salt lightly, drain. 4.Add in the milk,
2 eggs, grated cheese and goat cheese, salt, fresh pepper and a
bit of olive oil. 5.Roll the dough out flat, into two circles: use
about 2/3 for the bottom and save about 1/3 as a top covering.
6.Put the main piece of dough in the bottom of a pie mold, and fill
with the vegetable mixture. 7.Cover with the second piece of
dough, and pinch the edges together around the circumference.
8.Beat the third egg and paint it (dorer) onto the top of the dough.
9.Bake the tarte for 25 min.
Note - Nettles are still used in France and Greece, for soups and
other dishes such as thistourte or pittas. No special precautions
are required , other than very careful picking and handling ( use
gloves). The older country people are apparently immune to the
stinging after years of contact.

Greek Yogourt Cake

1/2 lb butter 2 cups sugar 5 eggs 3 cups cake flour 3 tsp.
baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 cup milk 1 cup yogourt1
tsp vanilla
Syrup:
2 cups sugar 1 3/4 cup water 1 lemon wedge
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare syrup: boil syrup ingredients 10 minutes and let cool.
Cake:
Melt butter and cool. Then cream with sugar and eggs. Add mixed
flour( baking powder,soda) alternately with milk and sour cream to
the batter. Stir in vanilla. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake in
a 350F oven about 35 minutes or until tested done. POUR
COOLED SYRUP OVER HOT CAKE. Let cake cool completely before
cutting.

TOMATO BREAD
Makes 2 loaves (24 slices total).
2 cups tomato juice 1/2 cup tomato sauce 2 tablespoons butter
6 to 6-1/2 cups flour 2 packages (2 tablespoons) dry yeast 3
tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 3/4
teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon ground rosemary 1/4
teaspoon ground fennel 1 garlic clove, crushed
Heat tomato juice, sauce, and butter to 120 degrees F. In a large
bowl, combine 3 cups flour with yeast, sugar, salt, basil, oregano,
rosemary, and fennel; add warmed tomato mixture and garlic. Mix
with dough hook (or by hand) 3 minutes or 300 strokes, scraping
bowl frequently.
Add 3 to 31/2 cups additional flour, until firm enough to handle;
turn out onto floured board. Add enough flour that dough is not
sticky; knead until smooth and elastic.
Place dough in a greased bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place
until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down; let rest 15 minutes.
Shape into two loaves; place in greased 9-inch bread pans. Cover
loosely; let rise until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake at
375 degrees F 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees F and
bake 30 minutes longer, until loaves sound hollow when tapped.
Remove from pans; cool on a rack.

Lahmajoun (Ground Meat Armenian-Lebanese Pizza)

DOUGH INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon dried yeast 1/4 cup warm
water 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon
salt 3 to 3-1/2 cups sifted flour
FILLING INGREDIENTS 1 lb. lean ground meat 3 onions, medium
size, chopped 1 cup pine nuts salt, pepper and cinnamon
Mix yeast with warm water, let stand for 5 minutes.
Add over the oil, sugar, salt and flour. Mix well.
Knead the dough very well for 8-10 minutes. Put in a greased pan.
Turn dough in pan, cover with a cloth and let stand in a warm place
till double in size for 45 minutes.
Mix the filling mixture together.
Cut the dough into five portions. Roll each portion into a circle 1/2
inch thick.
Spread the fillings over the five circles. Put into a greased pan and
bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or till slightly brown.
Serve them with yoghurt .

3 SAUCES from Provence-France

A•oli
It's a garlic sauce used, like a mayonaise, on a variety of dishes,
including boiled potatoes, fish, and cold lamb.
6 servings
garlic (10 cloves) olive oil (1/2 lt.) raw egg yolk (1) cooked egg
yolk (1) salt
In a mortar, crush the garlic into a fine paste. Add the egg yolks
and salt lightly. Mix in the olive oil very slowly until you obtain a
smooth paste.

Ancho•ade
It is an anchovie paste, similar to tapenade, but with more garlic
and olive-oil and less (or no) olives.
Serv 4
black olives (100 g) pitted capers (100 g) white tuna (100 g)
anchovies (12) washed, in strips olive oil (2 cups) mustard (1
teaspoon) basil (1 sprig) garlic (3 cloves) salt, pepper, thyme,
laurel
Grind together in a mortar the olives, capers, anchovies, tuna and
garlic. Add the mustard, herbs, spices and olive oil, and beat
thouroughly until you have a smooth past.

Rouille
It is a spicy garlic sauce used for fish dishes, fish soup and
bouillabaisse.
Serv 6
chili peppers (2) garlic (4 cloves) olive oil (1 cup) egg yolk (1)
bread (1 handful) rock salt (1 tablespoon)
Trim, de-seed and chop finely the peppers. In a mortar, crush the
peppers, garlic, rock salt and olive oil (1 teaspoon) together to
obtain a thick paste.
Crumble the bread, moisten it with hot water (or the bubbling
broth if you're preparing a fish soup or bouillabaisse), and press it
into a tight lump, squeezing out the liquid.
Add the bread lump to the paste and beat, adding olive oil, until
you've raised a smooth sauce. If the sauce tends to separate, add
another tight lump of bread and hot broth, and keep beating.
Nice Recipe (6 servings) cayenne pepper (2 teaspoons) garlic (3
cloves) olive oil (1 cup) egg yolk (2) saffron (5 grams)
In a mortar, crush the garlic to a fine mash. Add the egg yolks, and
beat into a mayonaise while adding about a half-cup of olive oil.
When the sauce is thick and smooth, stir in the pepper and
saffron. When the rouille is prepared, keep it chilled in the fridge
until it is served, either the same day or the next day. Before
serving, if the rouille is stiff, thin it with a few drops of boiling
water.

Muhammara
Walnut and tomato sauce

Ingredients 1/2 lb. walnuts, finely ground or chopped 1/2 cup of
bread crumbs 1 cup of mild feta cheese, unsalted and crumbled
1/2 cup tomato paste 2 medium tomatoes, grated 1 lemon
juice - 1 tablespoon Pomegranate syrup (may be substituted) 1/2
cup olive oil 2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 Tbsp. pepper paste -
spicey if possible
Salt, pepper, oregano, and crushed bell pepper
Chopped parsley for garnish
Preparation
Mix the dry ingredients (walnuts, feta cheese, and bread crumbs).
Mix the tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper paste, lemon juice,
olive oil, garlic and spices in a separate bowl. Fold the tomato
mixture into the dry mixture gently. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Serve it with pita bread.
Let sit a few hours or overnight to blend flavors.

Salatat Bathinjan (Eggplant Lebanese Appetizer)

1 large eggplant, peeled and thickly sliced salt 8 tablespoons olive
oil 4 cloves garlic 1 medium hot pepper, finely chopped 3
tablespoons lemon juice
Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt. Place in a strainer or
colander, top with a weight, and allow to drain for 45 minutes.
Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add the eggplant slices and fry on
both sides until they are golden brown. Remove the eggplant slices,
dice them, then set aside in a bowl.
Mash the garlic cloves with salt. Add to the diced eggplant along
with the hot pepper and lemon juice. Chill slightly and serve.