Rose Elliot’s Vegetarian Meals In Minutes. Rose Elliot

       Pitta breads make very convenient containers for all kinds of delicious ingredients that would be too moist or bulky to put in a sandwich. Salads and stir-fries can be piled into warmed pitta pockets; grilled vegetables, too, freshly cooked and still sizzling; and simple mixtures of beans, vegetables, cheese and hummus. Here is a selection of fillings.

      SPICED CHICK PEAS

       A tomato, sliced into quarters or eighths, is nice added to this for a change.

      1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

      2 tbls olive oil

      2 garlic cloves, crushed

      1 tsp cumin seeds

      1 × 425g / 15oz can chick peas, drained

      2 pitta breads

      4–6 lettuce leaves

      4 tbls thick Greek yogurt, or a mixture of yogurt and good-quality mayonnaise

      salt and freshly ground black pepper

      paprika pepper

       Fry the onion in the oil, with a lid on the pan, for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cumin seeds, cover again and cook for a further 2–3 minutes until the onion is tender.

       Add the chick peas to the onion and cook for 4–5 minutes, until heated through and perhaps lightly browned in places.

       Warm the pitta breads under the grill then cut them lengthwise in half. Gently open up each half and put in the lettuce, tearing it as necessary, then spoon in the chick pea mixture. Season the yogurt or yogurt and mayonnaise, spoon on top of the chick peas and sprinkle with a little paprika pepper. Serve at once.

      SERVES 2