Fattoush

Name: Fattoush
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 small Lebanese cucumber; 100g grape tomatoes, halved (about 10); 3 green onions, thinly sliced; 1 baby cos (gem) lettuce, sliced about 1cm thick; ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly sliced (about 20g whole); ¼ cup mint leaves, roughly sliced (about 20g whole); 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (40ml); 2 teaspoons strained lemon juice (10ml); 2 teaspoons sumac; Salt flakes, to taste; Handful Pita Crisps, broken into pieces

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Whenever I have stale Lebanese bread I generally turn it into pita crisps, then use some of them to make fattoush, one of the easiest and most delicious salads. There are as many variations on fattoush as there are Lebanese cooks. Some recipes include lettuce, others just herbs, generally the dressing includes the lemony tang of sumac sometimes with lemon juice and sometimes without. Some recipes soften the bread in the dressing, but I like it tossed through at the last minute for the crunchy contrast. Feel free to make this very versatile recipe your own by adding or subtracting whatever you like (or dislike), except for those moreish pita crisps!

Serves 2–4 as a side dish

Ingredients

1 small Lebanese cucumber
100g grape tomatoes, halved (about 10)
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 baby cos (gem) lettuce, sliced about 1cm thick
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly sliced (about 20g whole)
¼ cup mint leaves, roughly sliced (about 20g whole)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (40ml)
2 teaspoons strained lemon juice (10ml)
2 teaspoons sumac
Salt flakes, to taste
Handful Pita Crisps, broken into pieces

Method

Halve the cucumber lengthways then cut into thick slices.
Toss with the tomato, green onion, lettuce, parsley and mint.
Place oil, lemon juice and sumac in a screw top jar and shake to combine well.
When ready to serve, sprinkle salad with salt, add dressing and toss to coat well.
Add Pita Crisps and serve immediately.