Lamb and hummus pita pockets

SERVES: 4

Ingredients

600g lamb mince

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

4 large round pitas

4 generous tbsp hummus

1 tbsp olive oil

Extra hummus and hot sauce, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Place a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the lamb mince. Fry it, breaking it up with a fork or wooden spoon as you go. You shouldn’t need any extra oil as the mince will have enough fat to stop it sticking. Season well with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes, until the lamb is cooked through but still tender. Add the parsley and stir through.

Halve the pitas and carefully scoop out and discard any extra doughy bread in the middle. Spread the inside of each pita pocket with hummus, then fill with the lamb mince.

Heat the olive oil in a clean frying pan. Fry the filled pita halves on each side until crisp.

Put the filled pitas on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking.

Cut the crisp pita breads into halves and serve with some extra hummus and hot sauce on the side, if you wish. HUMMUS: Ingredients

1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 garlic clove, crushed 150g tahini, plus extra to serve 75ml very cold water Juice of ½ lemon

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve

½ tsp salt

4 ice cubes

Method

Tip the chickpeas into a food processor with the garlic and whizz until the chickpeas are completely broken down to a fine gravel-like consistency. Then add all the other ingredients, except the ice cubes, and whizz again for a minute or two. Add the ice cubes one at a time down the chute of the food processor, with the motor still running. You will see the hummus become pale and creamy. Keep whizzing until you have a hummus that is the consistency you like – add a little more water if you like. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or lemon juice. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to a week.

The recipes on this page are from Cherish by Anne Shooter, published by Hachette Australia, RRP $55.00