Rantissi moved to Sydney in 2005 after training in Israel, Paris and New York and met Frawley when they both worked at the Bathers’ Pavillion.
The pair own Kepos Street Kitchen in Sydney where Rantissi introduced the flavours of his childhood in Tel Aviv to the cafe scene in 2012 — think falafel and shakshuka. These days they sell 500 tubs of hummus a week.
They also own the more refined Kepos and Co, opened Salma’s canteen in 2023 and have recently started Kepos Catering for large-scale events.
"From the perfect hummus recipe, to abundant brunches and long lunches."
They also include their signature falafel recipe, warning it takes time "but it’s worth it"and other recipes that are quicker and easier to prepare with what’s in your pantry.
There is a chapter on mezze, a range of snacks, appetisers and small dishes as well as light bites, skewers and small meals, followed by a section on salads and then feasting with dishes that can be made quickly (barbecued prawns) and those that take time (8-hour slow roasted lamb shoulder).
"For us eating is all about sharing — everyone filling their plates with food from the centre of the table.
At the back of the book is a handy guide to cooking couscous and rice and the different spices and grains and legumes commonly found in their pantry.
As they consider brunch the most important meal of the day, a chapter is dedicated to dishes which are usually quick and easy to make but also healthy and versatile. Some are favourites from Kepos and others are what the couple cook at home. In this extract from the book they have shared some of their favourite brunch dishes.
The book
Images and text from Middle Eastern Feasts by Michael Rantissi & Kristy Frawley, photography by Alan Benson. Murdoch Books RRP $45.
Breakfast pide
Pide is Turkey’s brilliant contribution to any menu, especially brunch. This version can be served at breakfast, lunch or dinner. The filling is up to your taste and imagination — be creative! For the best results, use a pizza stone to cook the pide.
Makes 4
Ingredients
½ quantity pizza dough (see below))
plain (all-purpose) flour, for dusting
400g sujuk sausage, chopped (spiced Turkish beef sausage, if unavailable use chorizo)
200g grated mozzarella cheese
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 eggs
Preheat the oven to 250°C.
Place a pizza stone or baking tray in the oven to heat up for at least 1 hour prior to cooking the pide.
Divide the pizza dough into quarters and roll each into a ball. Lightly flour one dough ball all over. Holding the dough with two hands, work around the dough, carefully stretching it lengthways into a long oval shape and taking care not to tear it. Shape the dough so that the centre is thinner than the crust.
Layer the pide with a quarter of the sujuk, cheese and tomato, leaving about 1cm around the edge of the dough. Crack an egg on to the pide, then break the egg with your fingers and spread it over the top of the pide. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Roll in the edges of the dough to form a lip, then pinch the edges of the dough together at each pointy end to seal it, leaving some of the filling exposed.
Carefully put the pide on to the hot pizza stone or baking tray. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the edge of the pide is coloured and the base is cooked. Check that the bottom is cooked by lifting it up with a pair of tongs.
Transfer the cooked pide to a plate and repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.
Note: I recommend making each pide just before you put it in the oven, rather than preparing all four at once and leaving them to sit while the others are cooking.
Pizza dough
Makes 8 x 125g balls of pizza dough
Ingredients
14g dried yeast
1 Tbsp caster (superfine) sugar
500ml (2 cups) warm water
50ml olive oil
1kg 00 flour or plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
1 Tbsp salt
Using an electric mixer fitted with a hook attachment, mix the yeast, sugar and warm water until the yeast and sugar have dissolved.
Reduce the speed to low and add the oil, then add the flour and mix until the dough comes together as a soft ball. This will take about 5 minutes.
Add the salt and mix for a further 23 minutes (adding the salt last means it won’t slow down the yeast). The dough should not be too firm or too wet. Transfer the dough on to a lightly floured board. Divide the dough into 8 balls and put them on a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Wring out a wet tea towel and use it to cover the dough balls. Leave them to rise for 1 hour, or until they have doubled in size.
To shape the dough, lightly flour a dough ball all over. Holding the dough with both hands, work around the dough, carefully stretching it in a circular motion and taking care not to tear it.
Shape the dough so that the centre is thinner than the crust.
Greek salad
Greek salad is a classic that can be served with any meal or as a meal on its own. Last time I went home it was served everywhere. This recipe is a modernised version of the classic.
Serves 6-8 as a side dish or 4 as a main
Ingredients
500g mixed heirloom tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 Lebanese (short) cucumbers, coarsely chopped
½ red onion, thinly sliced
50g pitted black olives
40g pickled Middle Eastern or jalapeno chillies
3 Tbsp oregano leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
100ml olive oil
300g feta cheese, cut into large cubes
Black volcanic salt or sea salt flakes, to garnish
Put the tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, olives, chillies and oregano in a bowl and gently mix to combine. Pour in the lemon juice and half the oil and season with freshly ground black pepper. Spoon the salad on to a platter and top with the feta. Drizzle with the remaining oil and garnish with the salt.
I prefer soft Danish feta cheese but any other feta is also suitable.
Meatballs with eggs and labneh
This recipe combines two of my favourite things: meatballs and shakshuka, and even includes some creamy labneh. This version of shakshuka is made with the more traditional tomato base. You can add creme fraiche or sour cream instead of labneh, but I find labneh a lighter option if you are serving this dish for brunch.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
300g minced (ground) beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 Tbsp dry breadcrumbs
3 Tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 brown onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
200ml chicken stock
2 Tbsp sweet paprika
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander
8 eggs
4 Tbsp labneh
Coriander (cilantro) sprigs, to garnish
Put the beef, egg and breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Season with some salt and freshly ground black pepper and use your hands to combine. Roll 1 Tbsp of mixture into a ball, then repeat until all of the mixture is used up. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic for 34 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes, then add the meatballs and simmer for 30-35 minutes. Add the spices, season with additional salt and black pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Transfer the meatballs and sauce to a large deep frying pan. Crack the eggs into the sauce, spacing them evenly around the pan, but do not stir. Cook over medium heat for 45 minutes, or until the eggs are done to your liking. Remove the pan from the heat.
Dollop the labneh on to the meatballs and sauce. Garnish with the coriander, a little black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
Lightly oil your hands when rolling the meatballs to give them a smooth finish.
