Fattoush — Lebanese Bread Salad
The Lebanese bread salad: crisp vegetables and herbs with toasted pita and a sharp sumac and lemon dressing.
Method
- Split the pitas open into single layers and tear them into bite-sized pieces.
- Toss with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt and bake at 190°C for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until golden and fully crisp. Alternatively fry them in shallow oil for a richer, more traditional result.
- Leave the bread to cool completely on a rack; warm bread softens the moment it touches the dressing.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients together until emulsified. Sumac is what makes fattoush taste like fattoush, so be generous and taste for sharpness.
- Cut the vegetables into similar bite-sized pieces so each forkful carries a mix, and combine them in a wide bowl with the herbs.
- Dress the vegetables and toss thoroughly.
- Add the crisp bread only at the very last moment, fold through once or twice, and serve immediately while it still has crunch.
- Finish with an extra dusting of sumac over the top.
How to make Fattoush — Lebanese Bread Salad
Fattoush belongs to the family of Levantine dishes built around leftover bread. Day-old pita, crisped in oil, is tossed through a sharp, herb-heavy salad, where it soaks up just enough dressing to soften at the edges while staying crunchy in the middle.
Sumac and pomegranate molasses
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These two make the dressing distinctive: sumac for its lemony, slightly astringent bite and pomegranate molasses for depth and a touch of sweetness. Neither is easily substituted, and both keep for months.
Add the bread last
This is the one timing rule that matters. Bread added early turns to paste. Dress the vegetables, then fold the bread through as the bowl goes to the table.
Fried or baked bread
Traditionally the pita is fried, which gives a richer flavour and a sturdier crunch. Baking with a little oil is lighter and easier, and works well if you crisp it thoroughly and cool it completely.
Variations
Purslane is the classic addition where it is available, with its slight lemony edge. Some households add green pepper, others fresh thyme. The constants are sumac, lemon and plenty of herbs.
Traditional Lebanese cookery; fattoush began as a way of using day-old bread and became a mezze staple. Editorially researched from widely documented preparations, and not kitchen-tested by Axadle.
Contains gluten from the pita bread. Dairy-free, egg-free and nut-free. Omit the bread or use gluten-free flatbread to adapt.
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