Menu: A Meal from the Galilee

Although the pita and the eggplant are prepared on a cast-iron skillet and under the broiler, respectively, they can both be grilled over the hot coals used to cook the lamb.

The pita dough needs one hour to rise; use that time to prepare the other dishes and to light the coals for the grill.

The labaneh is easy to prepare at home, but if you're short on time, excellent versions of commercial labaneh are available at Israeli and Middle Eastern grocery stores.

For more small-plates ideas, see our collection of mezze recipes; for more about the Galilee's unique cuisine, see Gabriella Gershenson's article The Promised Land.