Fattoush is a Levantine salad (it has been said to have originated in Syria) that is, for lack of a better description, a bread salad – in the same vein as the Italian panzanella. It happens to be one of my all-time favourite salads, and it tends to pair well with just about anything – grilled meats, mujadarrah, falafel, you name it. If salads aren’t your favourite then it is also a vehicle for delicious, homemade pita chips (this is really the only reason my daughter tolerates it).
You can customise your fattoush however you wish and add other vegetables – like I’ve used radishes here, but ultimately a fattoush should have lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, parsley, and toasted pieces of bread – plus a dressing made with olive oil and lemon. Every family has their favourite recipe and this is ours – you can play with the ingredients to find a combination that works for you.
Fattoush
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 1 head butter or romaine lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
- 2-4 Persian cucumbers, sliced or 1 English cucumber, cut into quarters and sliced
- large handful cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- small bunch radishes, sliced
- 4 green onions, sliced
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ bunch of parsley, coarsely chopped
- small handful of mint leaves, torn
- 10-12 pita chips, broken into smaller pieces (see recipe below)
- small handful pomegranate arils, for garnish (optional)
For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup good extra virgin olive oil (60ml)
- 1 lemon juiced (about 3 Tbsp)
- ½ lemon zested
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses (or grape molasses, or silan, or honey)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground white pepper (or black pepper)
- 1 tsp ground sumac plus more, for topping the salad
Instructions
- Mix all salad vegetables together, leaving bread and pomegranate arils aside.
- Mix all dressing ingredients together thoroughly, and set aside until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, mix dressing and vegetables together, coating lightly. You may have extra dressing, which you can serve on the side. Top with pita chips, pomegranate arils, and sprinkle with extra sumac.
Easy Baked Pita Chips
Ingredients
- 4 regular pita breads (khubz)
- ¼ cup good olive oil (60ml)
- ½ tsp salt (I used Maldon here)
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp za'atar
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C
- Cut your pitas into eight triangular slices. Mix olive oil and spices together, and brush each chip (front and back) with the seasoned oil.
- Place chips in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake for 7 minutes – after 7 minutes flip them over and bake an additional 5-7 minutes, or until fully browned but not burned.
- Cool for 5 minutes on paper towel to absorb any excess oil, and serve!
