Salsa with Grilled Pita (Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes.)
You've promised to bring a dish to a dinner party or get-together, but you don't know what to bring. Have you ever found yourself in this situation? Well, it happened to me this past Friday night. I was asked to contribute to a meal, but I didn't want to take away from the main dish my friend was making. Finally, I decided a simple appetizer would be perfect: salsa with grilled pita. The bold flavors and colorful appearance did not give away the simplicity of the dish, and no one knew it only took 10 minutes to prepare. It also makes a great midnight snack. Guten Appetit!
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Tips on how to cube an onion:
1) Place the onion on its side and slice off the top part of the onion (opposite from the root side). 2) Turn the onion on its new flat surface. Starting at the center of the root, cut the onion into two halves. 3) Peel off the skin. This is usually a thin layer, but the first layer of the onion can also be cut off, if preferred. 4) Rest both onion halves on its largest flat surface, root end pointing away. Slice down through the onion vertically, leaving about 1/4-inch between each cut. Do not cut through the root of the onion - it keeps the onion from falling apart during the process. 5) Make 1/4-inch cuts perpendicular to the first set of cuts. This will result in a perfect dice. Discard root. Repeat with the other half. |
- 3 to 4 medium-size tomatoes (red, firm, juicy tomatoes are the best, but steak tomatoes will work, too)
- 1 medium-size yellow onion
- 1 large garlic clove
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon pepper
- 1 bag of pita bread
Cooking Instructions
1) Wash the tomatoes and cube them. First, cut out the stem, then cut the tomatoes in half. Make sure to scoop out the insides, so the salsa does not become runny. Finish cubing the tomatoes and place into a large bowl.
2) Peel and cube the onion into small pieces and place into the bowl with tomatoes. Peel the garlic by placing the wide part of the knife's blade on the clove and adding just enough pressure on the knife to crack the shell. The clove will come out easily. Chop the garlic finely and place into the bowl.
3) Roughly chop some parsley. Place half of it with olive oil, salt and pepper into the mixing bowl and toss until everything is evenly coated. Leave the other half of the parsley for garnish.
4) Transfer the salsa into a serving bowl. Sprinkle the remaining parsley on top.
5) Place a few slices of pita bread in a toaster or grill over a small open flame, such as a gas stove, for 1 minute on each side. Once they are toasted, half them and then quarter them so they are large enough to scoop the salsa.
