Tahini Paste

This is the first, and perhaps most crucial, recipe of our week long culinary journey to the Middle East. You probably won’t want to eat it straight. But, if you are going to make just about any of the regional dishes, from Hummus to Falafel to Baba Ghannouj, you will need this simple little preparation as an ingredient. The good news is that you can make it ahead of time and it should last up to three weeks in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS

3 Cups Raw Sesame Seeds

1 Cup Olive Oil

RECIPE

Preheat oven to 350. Spread sesame seeds evenly on large baking pan with raised sides.

Place baking pan into oven to toast very lightly. You don’t want them starting to to turn brown. Be sure to toss and stir them often until done. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Prepare one cup of olive oil. I like to use Extra Virgin (insert joke here ), but regular works, too. Just stay away from using the “Light” or “Extra Light” varieties for this application.

Place cooled seeds into food processor. Add oil evenly.

Puree on high for 3-5 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape sides with a rubber spatula. You don’t want any whole seeds left.

When smooth and creamy, pour into an airtight container and refrigerate until ready for use.



NOTE: There has always been a bit of confusion over the terms “Tahini” and “Tahina”. Some folks use them interchangeably … but they would be wrong. The way it was explained to me years ago by an Israeli chef, Tahin-EE is the paste which we are making here. Tahin-AH is the smooth, creamy, delicious sauce you pour over falafels, salads, kabobs, and more. Guess what’s on the menu for tomorrow?!?

Prep Time = 30 Minutes

Cooking Time = 5-10 Minutes

Makes 2 1/4 Cups

©2010 Caution: Caveman Cooking/UHearMe, Inc. All rights reserved. This recipe originally appeared on the Caution: Caveman Cooking blog at http://cavemancooking.net authored by Caveman. This recipe may be shared and reprinted as long as this entire copyright message accompanies it.