Hello #LoyalRoyals
As we look back on this year, we have many achievements to celebrate, yet the most exciting of them all is our recent launch of Pesto Princess Hummus. We developed our hummus recipe over the past year (it takes time to develop a product that is 100% preservative free) and we are proud of the result. Just the right creaminess, nuttiness (we’ve added plenty of luxurious tahina paste) a squeeze or two of lemon and a healthy pinch of cumin.
This year it is fitting that our Christmas table should showcase Her Royal Hummus as the star of a festive meze spread which just happens to be super easy to throw together. Serve as a starter with drinks or as an integral part of Our Vegetarian Feast.
Sub in your local favourites – olives, sundried tomatoes, pâtés, and homemade bread and share with nice people.
All the princes and princesses send love by the way.
HRH Kathleen
You will need
To make approx. 24 large crackers
250 g all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
115 ml water
25 ml extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
½ tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp black pepper
Flaky salt for sprinkling
For the meze spread
A selection of your favourite cheeses
Olives
Seasonal crudités
Sundried Tomatoes
1-3 tubs Pesto Princess Hummus – you can use them neat or should you wish to make a trio of delicious dips, mix to taste with Pesto Princess Basil Pesto, Pesto Princess Chermoula Paste and Pesto Princess Sundried Tomato Pesto.
How to
1. In a large bowl, mix together all of the ingredients for the crackers except the flaky salt. Squeeze the mix between your fingers until it has combined. Place the dough onto a clean work surface and knead it briefly until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave to rest for an hour in the fridge.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C. On a well-floured surface, use a rolling pin or a pasta machine to roll coin-sized pieces of dough into long, super thin oval shapes. Use lots of flour to ensure the dough doesn’t stick to the bench.
3. Line a tray with parchment paper and place the crackers onto the tray. Brush the tops generously with olive oil, then sprinkle on some salt. Bake for 6–7 minutes, until crisp and golden brown. Store in an airtight container.
4. To make the trio of dips, take three bowls and add a few tablespoons of Pesto Princess Hummus to each. Now add one tablespoon of Pesto Princess Sundried Tomato pesto to the first, Pesto Princess Basil Pesto to another and Pesto Princess Chermoula to the last one. Voila! Something for everyone.
5. To assemble a meze spread fit for royalty, pack it tight with homemade crackers, Pesto Princess Hummus, dips, seasonal veggie crudités, olives and some lovely local cheeses (we’re big fans of The Real Cheese in Observatory, the Culture Club on Bree Street or even Dalewood Fromagae just outside Stellenbosch).
Serve alongside our Festive Christmas Pie and Green Beans Pestolata for a Vegetarian Feast!
Recipe and food styling by Michelle Parkin.
