Black Eyed Pea Hummus (Instant Pot)

This Instant Pot Black Eyed Pea Hummus combines a Southern staple with the flavors of a Middle Eastern favorite to make an amazing appetizer and spread.

This hummus made with black eyed peas instead of chick peas has all of the delicious flavor you would expect from hummus. It's enriched with olive oil, tahini, lots of garlic, and lemon juice, plus other good stuff.

Moroccan Lamb, Chickpea, and Lentil Soup (Harira)

This Moroccan lamb, chickpea, and lentil soup, also known as harira, is hearty, filling, and delicious. 

There are many variations of harira soup, including vegetarian and with pasta, but most versions include tomatoes chickpeas, and lentils, along with a combination of spices such as cumin, turmeric, paprika, and cinnamon.

Nan e Barbari | Persian Flatbread

This Nan e Barbari is a delicious leavened flatbread that is coated in seeds and baked on a heated stone in your oven to replicate one of Persia's favorite breads. 

Nan e Barbari is a Persian flatbread that is traditionally served at breakfast in Iran with a soft spread such as goat cheese. It is made from a very high hydration dough, but is fairly easy to work with, mostly because it is a leavened flatbread.

Jerusalem Bagels

Jerusalem bagels are oblong sesame coated breads that are baked in wood fired ovens sold by street vendors in the streets of the Old City. They are a version of ka'ak, sold throughout the region, but, according to some, the ka'ak in Jerusalem are better than anywhere else in the region.

These Jerusalem bagels are smaller than the ones sold on the streets of the city, making them more home oven friendly.

Aish Baladi - Egyptian Flatbread

Aish Baladi is an Egyptian whole wheat flat bread that looks a lot like pita bread, but is unique to Egypt.

In ancient Egypt, Aish Baladi was made with emmer, an ancestor of modern wheat.

Shubbak el-Habayek | Iraqi Sweet Bread

Shubbak el-Habayek is an Iraqi sweet bread. The name, translated, means The Lover's Window!

 This is a fragrant bread, with orange blossom water, rose water, cardamom, and mahleb.

Sfoof - Lebanese Turmeric Buns

These Sfoofs are lovely yeasted buns colored with turmeric and flavored with anise seeds, mahleb, and orange blossom water, and then studded with pistachios. 

These Sfoofs are fragrant and sweet, but not overly so. When they were baking, our house was filled with an amazing aroma from the anise seeds, mahleb (also spelled mahlab), and orange blossom water in the dough.

Middle Eastern Steak and Potato Layered Casserole | Sainyet Bataba Tabakat

This Middle Eastern Steak and Potato Layered Casserole is such a wonderful savory dish. It's a great way to enjoy potatoes without frying, or adding cheese and cream. 

The flavors of this Middle Eastern Steak and Potato Layered Casserole are pretty amazing. I'm in love with how the different elements of this dish meld together.

Assyrian Spinach Pies | Syrian Sabanrhiyat

Assyrian Spinach Pies, or Syrian Sabanrhiyat, are little packets of yeasted dough filled with spinach, onions, dried cherries, feta, lemon zest and juice, pepper, toasted walnuts, and olive oil.

These Assyrian Spinach pies are about the size of a bagel, and are filled with a delicious filling.

A key ingredient to these Syrian Sabanrhiyat is mahlab, a powder made from the seed of the St. Lucy's cherry. I found it in my local Middle Eastern market.