Best Fennel Pita Toasts Recipes

FRENCH TOAST PUFFS

Steps:

• For the ginger butter: Place the butter, agave and ginger in a food processor and process until smooth. (If no processor is available, you may use softened butter and whisk all ingredients instead.) The butter should have a smooth consistency, ready to be dipped into.
• For the french toast puffs: Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F, using convection if available. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Put the bananas, oat milk, coconut, sugar, cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, vanilla and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. If there are a few small chunks of banana, don't worry, it will add to the texture of the puffs.
• Put 1 loaf's worth of bread chunks in a large mixing bowl, followed by the batter. With a spatula or fingertips, gently fold everything together. Take care not to overmix. Homogenous is boring, so we are looking for the bread to be mostly intact, moistened by the batter. Let sit for 5 minutes. The texture should now be soft and wet, not soupy (if it's soupy, add more bread).
• When the correct texture is achieved, it will be easily scoopable with a golf-ball-sized cookie scoop. Scoop out all of the bread-batter mix onto the prepared baking sheet. Keep it funky and scoop larger amounts than the scoop can hold, like a scoop of hard ice cream. Bake until golden brown and crispy on the outside, 10 to 15 minutes. (Browned and slightly crunchy on the outside, and soft on the inside, is our goal.) Eat with hands, dipping into Vermont maple syrup and ginger butter.

TOMATO-FENNEL SOUP WITH BRIE TOASTS

Steps:

• Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add fennel, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partly cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in garlic and chile powder; cook 1 minute. Stir in Pernod and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 3 minutes.
• Pour in tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups water and the stock. Bring to a simmer and cook gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the black pepper. Purée soup in batches using a blender or immersion blender until smooth.
• Transfer soup back to pot over medium heat; simmer until slightly thickened, 5 to 10 minutes more. Scrape down sides and bottom of pot occasionally. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread bread slices on a large baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 10 minutes.
• Toast fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant and lightly colored, 2 to 3 minutes. Melt in remaining 1 tablespoon butter.
• Adjust oven temperature to broil and position rack 6 inches from heat. Brush toasts with fennel-seed butter and top with Brie. Return to oven and broil until bubbly and golden, 1 to 3 minutes (check every minute or so to see that they are not burning). Ladle soup into bowls and top with a cheese crouton. Garnish with fennel fronds.

GREEK MEZZE PLATTER

Steps:

• Artfully arrange the marinated feta, red peppers, stuffed grape leaves and a small bowl filled with the hummus on a platter. Sprinkle the pine nuts over the hummus and add a drizzle of olive oil. Place the pita chips on the platter and arrange the sprigs of thyme over the red peppers, for decoration.
• Combine the dried thyme, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Lay the feta slices overlapping on a 9 × 9-inch square serving plate.
• Sprinkle the feta with the entire herb mixture. Nestle the thyme sprigs and olives among the feta slices. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve at room temperature.
• "Make It Ahead" by Ina Garten © Clarkson Potter 2014. Provided courtesy of Ina Garten. All rights reserved.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice the pita bread into 8 triangles and place them on a sheet pan. Place the sheet pan in the oven and toast the bread for 10 minutes.

ROASTED FENNEL WITH PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the fennel in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with the Parmesan. Drizzle with the oil. Bake until the fennel is fork-tender and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 2 teaspoons, then sprinkle over the roasted fennel and serve.

ROASTED FENNEL WITH PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove the stems of the fennel and slice the bulb in half lengthwise. With the cut side down, slice the bulb vertically into 1/2-inch-thick slices, cutting right through the core. Spread the fennel slices on a baking sheet, coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss with your hands.
• Roast the fennel slices for about 1 hour, turning them once after 30 minutes, until the edges are crisp and brown. Remove from the oven and cover with Parmesan shavings. Taste for salt and pepper and serve.

FENNEL-CRUSTED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH CRISP PITA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Coat pork with garlic and fennel seed, then season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned on all sides, 4 minutes total. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet (reserve skillet) and roast, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes.
• On a baking sheet, brush tops of pitas with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until edges are golden, 8 minutes. Cut into wedges.
• Divide arugula, parsley, and carrots among 4 plates. Slice pork into rounds and add to salad. Remove any dark garlic bits from skillet, add vinegar and any accumulated juices from board, and swirl to combine. Drizzle sauce on pork and serve with pitas.

GARLIC-HERB PITA TOASTS

Steps:

• Cooks Tip: For the best results, use a baking sheet that is not too dark for this recipe; otherwise, watch the pita bread carefully as it burns easily.
• Preheat oven to 500°F.
• Separate each pita quarter into 2 pieces.
• Arrange in a single layer, rough side up, on an ungreased baking sheet.
• Brush evenly with the oil.
• In a small bowl, combine the parsley, chives, and garlic.
• Using your fingers, distribute the herb mixture evenly over the pita quarters.
• Sprinkle evenly with coarse salt.
• Bake on the top rack of the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the pita quarters are nicely toasted.

PITA TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• Halve pitas horizontally to form 8 rounds and lightly brush rough sides with oil. Season pitas with salt and cut each round into 6 wedges.
• Arrange wedges in one layer on 2 baking sheets and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Cool toasts. Toasts may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

FENNEL PITA TOASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• On a cutting board with side of a knife lightly crush fennel seeds. Brush top of pita with oil and sprinkle with crushed fennel and coarse salt. On a baking sheet bake pita in middle of oven until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes.
• Cut pita into 4 wedges.