Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Pita Wedges with Green Olive Tapenade

Ingredients :

3  Whole-Wheat (Whole-Meal) Pita Breads -- 6 Inches In Diameter, Each Cut Into 8 Wedges
1  Teaspoon  Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1  Shallot -- Finely Chopped
2  Plum (Roma) Tomatoes -- Peeled And Seeded, Then Finely Chopped
1  Clove  Garlic – Minced
1  Teaspoon  Finely Chopped Fresh Oregano -- Or 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/2  Teaspoon  Red Pepper Flakes -- (Optional)
1/2   Cup  Dry White Wine
3/4   Cup  Pitted Green Olives -- Rinsed, Drained And Roughly Chopped 
Grated Zest Of 1 Lemon
2   Tablespoons  Chopped Fresh Flat-Leaf (Italian) Parsley

Preparation Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Arrange the pita bread wedges in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until crisp and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. In a small frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and saute until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, garlic, oregano and the red pepper flakes, if using, and saute until the tomatoes are tender, about 2 minutes. Add the wine and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until the liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes. The mixture will be thick. Remove from the heat, spoon the mixture into a small bowl and let cool completely.

3. When the tomato mixture has cooled to room temperature, add the olives and lemon zest. Stir to combine. The tapenade may be made ahead, covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before using.

4. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the tapenade onto each pita wedge, sprinkle evenly with the parsley and divide among individual plates - 4 wedges per plate. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Analysis :(per serving) Serving size: 4 

Calories 136; 
Cholestero l0 mg; 
Protein 4 g; 
Sodium 420 mg; 
Carbohydrate 21 g; 
Fiber 3 g; 
Total fat 4 g; 
Potassium 141 mg; 
Saturated fat<1 g; 
Calcium 23 mg; 
Monounsaturated fat 3 g.

Dietitian's Tip : The secret to this Mediterranean-inspired appetizer is to use good-quality green olives. Look for a brine-cured version such as Cerignola, Lucque, Manzanillo, Picholine, Provencal, Sevillano or Sicilian.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 129 Calories; 3g Fat (22.8% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 312mg Sodium.  

Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat.

Source : "The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook" 
Formatted by : Chupa Babi
* Exported from MasterCook *

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