An intrepid way to save stale pitta bread by turning it into moreish and wonderfully seasoned snacks
T
hree years ago, I helped my friend, the chef Sam Webb, set up Babette, a street food stall at Newquay Boathouse. Webb and his team make everything from scratch and, wherever possible, using only local Cornish produce, from their hot honey (sourced from the Rescued Bee) to pitta with freshly milled flour from Cornish Golden Grains; he also grows his own produce with fellow restaurateur Matt Comley at Gannel Valley Gardens.
As you might expect, saving food waste is at the top of Webb’s agenda, which is how he came to create waste-saving pitta chips to serve with hummus. It’s a recipe I couldn’t resist, not least because they take minutes to cook. What makes Webb’s pitta chips unique is their wonderful seasoning of sumac, za’atar and sea salt just before serving.
Like my cheese straw misfits, these are worth making even if you have just a little pitta leftover. Once baked or fried, they make a perfect, highly seasoned snack that could be topped with some cheese (like a dainty canape) or enjoyed by the bowlful as an alternative to tortilla chips with hummus.
