Za’atar and Cheese Pita

You know the likes of peanut butter and jelly, pasta and tomatoes…? Well, you can officially include za’atar and cheese as a perfect pairing.

When I’m hungry and don’t feel like exerting much effort in the kitchen I turn to my college pita pizza days of yore and whip out this bombshell za’atar and cheese pita pizza. It’s a makes for a super easy lunch or salty snack that goes from the oven to your mouth in five minutes or less.Not familiar with za’atar? It’s a Middle Eastern spice mixture that’s tangy, nutty and herbal thanks to a blend of thyme, sesame seeds and sumac. It’s great with hummus, cheese, yogurt and labneh as well as fish, red meat, pork and chicken. The better question to ask would be, what isn’t za’atar good with!?

You can sprinkle it on veggies, add it to salads, or even dust your popcorn with it, but definitely try it my style on a toasted pita with melted cheese.

If you can’t find za’atar at your local grocery or Middle Eastern market, you can make your own at home:

Za’atar Seasoning Blend

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon oregano
2 tablespoons dried sumac
2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds

Preparation:
Combine in a small bowl or an empty spice jar.
For a finer texture simply crush with a mortar and pestle.

Za’atar and Cheese Pita Pizza

Serves 1
Ingredients:
1 pita
Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
8 slices fresh mozzarella (or any white cheese you like, I like the gooey-ness of mozzarella)
1 1/2 tablespoons za’atar, or to taste

Preparation:
Top the pita with the mozzarella cheese, the drizzle of extra virgin oil and dust with plenty of za’atar. Crank up your broiler or toaster oven and toast until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the pita is crunchy and golden about 5 minutes.

Slice like a pizza and eat.