Fattoush Salad
Serves 4
Fattoush is a Syrian or Lebanese bread salad made from toasted, baked, or fried pieces of khubz that are combined with mixed greens and other vegetables, such as radishes and tomatoes. Khubz is also known as Arabic, Lebanese, or Syrian bread. It is a round leavened Middle Eastern flatbread that is a staple of the local diet from the Arabian Peninsula to Morocco. Fattush belongs to the family of dishes known as fattat, which use stale flatbread as a base.
This salad is so simple and easy to make. It is great for sharing with family and friends and takes minutes to make. Whenever I make a salad like this, it always reminds me of my travels through the Mediterranean as a young lad and aspiring chef. Eating new and wonderful foods and making new friends through the breaking and sharing of bread. The world is full of cultures and traditions that we need to embrace and learn from. Food breaks down barriers and removes hatred and misconceived ideas about other countries and their beliefs and lifestyles. That’s why I’ve devoted most of my life to the pursuit of amazing food and education, which to me go hand in hand to make the world a better place.
Let’s break bread and start a great conversation around the kitchen table while sharing food, drink and good humor.
Ingredients:
For the salad
3 whole meal pitta breads, torn into bite-sized pieces
Extra virgin olive oil spray
Small handful of fresh mint leaves
Small handful of fresh parsley leaves
1 cup radishes, cut into quarters
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut into halves
2 little gem lettuces, roughly chop
½ cucumber, roughly chop
½ cup red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
For the dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon sumac
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
How to make:
Pre-heat oven to 385◦F. Place the pita pieces onto a baking sheet and lightly spray with oil. Pop the tray into the oven to bake the pita pieces for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Roughly tear the mint and parsley leaves and place into a large salad bowl. Add the radishes, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber and red onions.
Whisk together all the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss lightly to coat. Add the warm pita pieces and serve.