Easter in the middle east is a big deal! You can find delicious food, traditions and celebrations throughout the region as families gather for this age old holiday!
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People always think that the Middle East is not big on Easter, but that is just not true! In Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq (to name a few) there are large Christian communities that all gather in a big way for this yearly holiday! They attend church services for worship, they gather with and visit family and friends. But, best of all, they prepare festive feasts to come together and enjoy!
Of course, my focus is always the food! I can’t help it…it’s the best part of any holiday or event! Is it not!? Anyway, as we all know, every region and every family has their own traditional foods they prepare. Many make lamb dishes, eggs, and vegetable dishes. However, we cannot forget the ever so popular maamoul cookies! These are a staple Easter dessert that is made!
On Nadia and my Easter table this year, we made falafel cupcakes topped with pickled veggies and a tahini cream sauce, an asparagus carrot flatbread with a butter Parmesan crust, a leek and carrot saute (barasia) with a citrus vinaigrette, egg tarts with spiced tomatoes, kanafeh cones filled with tahini mascarpone and pistachios, and Easter maamoul cookies stuffed with dates, which were made by our friend MaryAnn’s lovely mother! They are said to be designed in the shape of Jesus’ crown in honor of the holiday! Check out last years Easter tablescape here!
So, we would like to wish everyone and their families a Happy Easter and hope that we can help inspire you with some new recipes to try with your family and friends!
This delicious Asparagus & Carrot Flatbread with Parmesan Butter Crust whips up in minutes thanks to packaged dough and simple ingredients! You save so much time you can get creative with its design!
- 1 pack pie crust
- 10-12 stalks asparagus
- 1-2 carrots, sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter, slightly melted
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan, ground
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan, shredded
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F or according to package directions. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil and set aside.
Unroll pie crust and lay it out on a surface. Cut off the edges to make a rectangular shape. Save the scraps to make decorative crust pieces.
Place slightly melted butter in a bowl. Add grated Parmesan along with salt and pepper to the melted butter and mix well.
Spread the butter mixture over the pie crust. Sprinkle shredded Parmesan on top.
Cut your asparagus from the bottom so they fit onto the pie crust. Then cut your carrots in half and then slice them into fours. If you want your veggies to be very soft, boil or bake them first for about 10 min.
Place the asparagus and carrots in a row on top of the butter Parmesan mixture. If you would like a decorated crust, you can use the scrap edges to cut out small circles, squares, or just use strips of dough. I had small flower cookie cutters, so I rolled out the second pie crust and used them.
To stick the decorative pie crust pieces, dab a touch of water and press down gently. Then brush lightly with a little remaining butter from the bowl.
Bake for 10-20 min or according to package instructions.
If you only bake the crust for 10 min, the veggies will not be very soft, they will still have some bite to them. So, you should either bake or boil them for about 10 min first. Also, I left mine in the oven for about 20 min because I wanted the crust to get more golden. Since ovens vary, after 10 min keep checking on it.
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