Mr Crowe is in Turkey loving the sun and relaxing

The sun i shining and Mr Crowe is loving Turkey, 100’s of miles away from his home he is till keeping up his keep fit routine as his tweets testify.

Russell Crowe ‏@russellcrowe 8h –  Yesterday was 3 km Elliptical, light weights and probably 4km walking. So far today at least 7 km walking.

With all this exercise he will have to keep up his strength so what Turkish delights will be tasting?

Baba ganoush with flatbread

ngredients

For the flatbreads

• 250 g plain flour
• 3 tsp fast-acting dried yeast
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the babaganoush

• 2 large aubergines
• 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for finishing
• 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried red chilli flakes
• 1 heaped tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp milk
• 2 tsp tahini
• squeeze of lemon juice
• 1 small handful parsley, roughly chopped

Method

1. For the flatbread dough: Mix the flour and yeast in a big bowl and make a wide well in the middle.  Pour in the olive oil, about 125ml warm water and a pinch of salt. Gradually bring in the surrounding flour until it all comes together.

2. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and, using the heel of your hand, give it a good knead for 5 mins until the dough is elastic.

3. Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with cling film, and leave to rest for an hour or so in a warm place – until doubled in sized.

4. For the babaganoush: While the dough is rising, heat a griddle or barbecue and roast the aubergines on all sides, turning frequently until the skin has blackened and the flesh is soft – about 20 minutes. Leave on one side until cool enough to handle. Peel and roughly chop the flesh.

5. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and fry the garlic and chilli flakes for a minute over a low heat until the garlic is golden. Stir in the flour and continue cooking for another 2 mins.

6. Add the milk, followed by the aubergine, and simmer for a further 3-5 mins, stirring all the time. Add a splash of water if it looks a bit dry. Turn off the heat and cool for a minute before stirring in the rest of the olive oil, the tahini and lemon juice.

7. Season well, transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Make a well in the centre and pour in a little more olive oil.

8. Heat a griddle on the stove or a barbecue. Divide the dough into 4 portions and roll out to a maximum of 1/2cm thickness on a floured surface. Aim for a circular shape.

9. Sprinkle the breads with sea salt. You could also use other spices – sesame seeds, sumac, thyme leaves etc. Lay the flatbreads on a hot griddle for 2-3 mins on the first side, and a bit less on the second. Serve straight away with the babaganoush.