Wrapped with fun

What do I call this wrap? 'Mediterranean wrap'?, as I used Mediterranean ingredients and Middle-Eastern flat bread? Or 'Creme cheese wrap'? when I smear creme cheese on the base? Or 'Masala wrap'? when I use 'Indian' ingredients? I think, 'As you like it wrap' might be appropriate as you can throw in anything you love.

'Wrapped with fun'... Yes!! This is one preparation we absolutely have fun with, every single time. Want a recipe which is quick, healthy and the whole family can have fun at dinner time? This is the one!! My creative friend Purnima told me about the creme cheese and sun-dried tomato wrap that she makes for her office potlucks. I derived my inspiration from there and prepared it for my son's first birthday party (for the first time). All our guests enjoyed it a lot and asked me for the recipe. It is so simple and quick, that with a little help even my 2 1/2 year old son can make it :)

I bought 'Lavash' (Middle-Eastern flat bread) from my local 'Trader Joe's (whole wheat option available). This flat bread is rectangular and that makes it easier to wrap. I would smear either creme cheese (for kids), or humus or pesto (for adults) on the bread. Then I would sprinkle any of my favourite ingredients on top, wrap it up and cut it into halves and enjoy. This time, I used sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil (oil squeezed out), chopped fresh spinach, basil chiffonade^*1 and sliced green olives. I sprinkled some chilly flakes for a little extra punch (lots on my hubby's). As I stated earlier, you can virtually use any ingredient. I guess, any kind of cooked and shredded meat would go well too (We are vegetarians and hence have not tried this option - but guessing it would work).

You can put the ingredients in separate bowls and let your family assemble their own wraps at the dinner table. Have family fun and less work for you at the same time. Isn't that nice?



*1 - Chiffonade is just a fancy term for thin shredded strips (generally used for herbs). Before cutting basil chiffonade, you may want to sprinkle a few drops of vegetable oil on the leaves and gently rub to evenly coat the leaves. This will prevent them from darkening. Stack several basil leaves and roll them into a tight tube length-wise. Slice the leaves width-wise into narrow pieces to create long thin strips.

Easy appetizer - spinach potato savory puff

Vegetable puffs are very common in India. But here in the US, I have seen puffs to be sweet rather than savory (except in Indian restaurants/ bakeries). Making puff pastry involves rolling out the dough very thin and layering with butter. It is a lot of hard work and I prefer to get puff pastry squares (available in all grocery stores) which makes this recipe a lot simpler. I substituted half the portion of the potato with spinach.

To make the filling, I sauteed cumin (jeera) seeds, thinly sliced onions, boiled and mashed potatoes and chopped spinach (if frozen thawed, if canned drained) in 1 tsp oil. I added salt, cumin powder, red chilly powder and turmeric powder and mixed well. I added little water and covered to cook. Then I removed the cover and stirred continuously (to avoid burning) until all the water is evaporated. I cut the puff pastry squares into triangles, placed the filling, folded into half, stuck corners with water and baked at 375F for 10-15 minutes. Tasty savory puffs are ready to be served.