Fattoush

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One of my favorite salads. Think of Fattoush as the Middle Eastern version of the Italian panzanella salad—crisp veggies, fresh herbs, toasted pita bread, and a tangy sumac dressing.

I’m finally back from Vida Vegan Con in Austin, which proved to be a very well-organized and informative conference. I was able to meet some fun and likeminded vegan bloggers and learn a few pointers to help grow this blog. All in all, I think it was a great event and I’m glad I was able to attend.

Before I left, I used up all the veggies I had at home so that nothing would rot while I was away. When I came back, I ended up making an easy pantry dish: a simple red lentil dahl garnished with some shallot/paprika oil. I needed veggies though, so the next day I went to the market and stocked up.

This beloved salad is pretty much a market in a bowl. I love the crisp lettuce and juicy tomatoes combined with the fresh herbs and tart sumac. For the uninitiated, sumac is a dried berry used as a souring agent in Middle Eastern cuisine and is an essential ingredient in fattoush, as well as in zaatar, baked spinach pies, and other goodies. It’s very sour and casts a lovely pink hue when liquid touches it.  And don’t worry, culinary sumac is not at all poisonous. 🙂

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Fattoush

 

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One of my favorite salads. Think of Fattoush as the Middle Eastern version of the Italian panzanella salad--crisp veggies, fresh herbs, toasted pita bread, and a tangy sumac dressing.

Author: Lands & Flavors

Ingredients

• 2 loaves pita bread
• 1½ Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or marjoram
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 3 cucumbers (Lebanese/Persian cucumbers are best)
• 2 tomatoes
• 3 radishes
• 1 scallion
• 1 cup parsley
• 6-8 sprigs fresh mint
• 2-3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons sumac
• ½ teaspoon sea salt (or more, to taste)

Instructions

1. Prepare the toasted bread by separating each pita loaf into the two separate sides. Cut these into bite-sized squares. Toss with the 1½ Tablespoons olive oil, the marjoram/thyme, and a pinch of salt. Spread them on a tray and bake in an oven at 375°F or even in a small toaster oven until they become crisp and golden. Watch them because they can burn quickly. Toss them around once or twice for even toasting. Remove from oven and let them cool completely on the counter.
2. Chop the leaves of romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces and toss into a large mixing bowl. Slice the cucumbers lengthwise and then cut into half-moon shapes. Add them to the lettuce.
3. Quarter the tomatoes and then slice into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the scallion and slice the radishes very thinly. Add all three to the large bowl.
4. Roughly chop or tear the leaves of parsley and mint and add to the bowl.
5. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, sumac, and salt to the bowl then toss thoroughly to combine. Finally toss in the cooled, crispy bread pieces and serve immediately.

Notes

-This is the traditional recipe but I often tweak it. Add arugula instead of or in addition to the lettuce. Freshly torn basil leaves are great too. And chunks of ripe avocado make everything better.

-If you want to try the classic fattoush preparation, quickly deep-fry the pieces of pita bread instead of baking them. It is really delicious that way, but baking is so much easier and is just as tasty.

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