Traditionally mezze originates from the Mediterranean, the Middle East and the Balkans, and typically consists of olives, tahini, salad and yogurt dishes, as well as vegetables, eggs, meat and cheese. Generally mezze is served altogether on one large dish with smaller dishes alongside to accompany it.
Alternatively, tapas are served on individual dishes as separate portions. Tapas come from Spain and are traditionally served as a snack alongside a drink. Common types of tapas are cured meats, squid or Spanish omelette.
Nowadays many innovative restaurants and chefs offer their own spin on the Spanish favourite - think seafood tapas, Indian tapas or even dessert tapas. How could you put your own spin on these popular bite-sized portions?
Mezze and tapas inspiration
Mezze and tapas-inspired dishes can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make them. Stick to traditional recipes or let your imagination run wild - the choice is yours!
For a typically Middle Eastern mezze dish, whip up a tasty Baba Ganoush - a creamy, aubergine dip with a slight kick. Try out this recipe from Taste Food Blog.
Baba Ganoush
- 1 large aubergine
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas
- ¼ cup tahini
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp hot sauce (like Tabasco)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
Firstly, roast the aubergine until its skin is charred on all sides, then put on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for around 25 minutes until it's soft inside.
Once it's cooled, peel off the skin and pop into a food processor along with all the other ingredients except the parsley, then blend. Refrigerate to let the flavours develop then serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley.
Add a touch of the rustic by serving in this stoneware mezze dish and accompany with warm pitta for dipping.
If tapas is more your thing, try out this Spanish favourite - Patatas bravas. Translating as brave potatoes, this dish packs a fiery punch, and the addition of chorizo makes it all the more delicious.
Patatas Bravas con Chorizo
- 1kg new potatoes
- 1 small cooking chorizo
- 1 onion
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 red chilli
- Cayenne pepper
- Smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Firstly heat the oil in a pan and add the chopped onion, garlic and chilli to soften, then add a pinch of cayenne pepper and smoked paprika and stir. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 20 minutes until a thick paste is formed, then season.
Steam the quartered potatoes for 10 minutes and slowly cook the chorizo in a frying pan. Tip out the red oil from the chorizo and add some olive oil before adding the potatoes to fry all together. Once slightly browned, put into a bowl and spoon the sauce over to serve.
These small bowls are ideal for this dish and other tapas sized portions, and you can stock up on a few different sizes. Why not complement your tapas selection with a nice Rioja too?
Let us know if you try out the recipes…
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