Fattoush
Fattoush is a bright, crunchy salad of juicy tomatoes, cucumber, radish, herbs, and shards of crisp flatbread. The dressing is tangy and savory with lemon, pomegranate molasses, and sumac, giving the salad its unmistakable refreshing bite.
Ingredients
Salad
- 250 gripe tomatoes, cut into bite-size wedges
- 150 gcucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced
- 80 gradishes, thinly sliced
- 120 gromaine lettuce, chopped
- 20 gflat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped
- 10 gfresh mint leaves, roughly torn
- 30 gspring onions, thinly sliced
Crispy bread
- 1 small (60 g)Arabic flatbread (pita), torn into bite-size pieces
- 10 mlolive oil
Sumac dressing
- 25 mlextra-virgin olive oil
- 15 mlpomegranate molasses
- 15 mllemon juice
- 6 gground sumac
- 3 gfine salt
- 1 gblack pepper
Instructions
- 1
Preheat a frying pan over medium heat. While it heats, prepare the vegetables and herbs: cut the tomatoes, slice the cucumber and radishes, chop the lettuce, parsley, mint, and spring onions. Put them in a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Add the torn flatbread pieces to the hot pan with the olive oil and toast for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until golden brown and crisp at the edges. Lower the heat if they color too fast; the bread should dry and crisp, not burn.
- 3
In a small bowl, whisk together the extra-virgin olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, sumac, salt, and black pepper until emulsified. Taste: it should be bright, tangy, and slightly sharp, so adjust salt or lemon only if needed.
- 4
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and herbs, then toss gently but thoroughly so the sumac coats everything evenly.
- 5
Add the crispy flatbread just before serving and toss once or twice only, so some pieces stay crunchy. Serve immediately for the best texture.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •For the most authentic flavor, use good-quality sumac with a deep burgundy color and a tart, lemony aroma.
- •If you prefer, you can crisp the flatbread in a 220 C oven for 5-6 minutes instead of using a pan, but the pan is faster for a 15-minute recipe.
- •Dress and toss the salad only at the last minute so the lettuce stays crisp and the bread keeps some crunch.
- •This pairs well with hummus, grilled vegetables, or lentil dishes as part of a mezze spread.
Background
Fattoush is a classic Levantine bread salad, especially associated with Lebanon and Syria, created as a practical way to use up day-old flatbread. Its hallmark flavors are sharp sumac, fresh herbs, and seasonal vegetables, with toasted bread adding texture and substance.
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