Fridge-raid Fattoush

This version of Fattoush is close to the classic salad we all know and love, but differs slightly from the one my mother used to make. Na'ama's Fattoush, published in Jerusalem and Falastin, is still made by my family today and it brings me much comfort knowing her legacy lives on.

In this version, the salad uses toasted bread and is dressed with lemon and pomegranate molasses, whereas my mother's version includes a homemade buttermilk dressing and uses untoasted bread. Both are equally vibrant, crunchy, tangy and packed with fresh herbs.

Who could resist such a salad, especially when summer-ripe tomatoes, cool cucumbers and chunks of bread are brought together on one big plate.

Play around with the ingredients based on what’s available in season or in your fridge. Thinly sliced red or white cabbage, kale, raw courgette and asparagus all make great additions to this versatile dish.

INGREDIENTS

• 2–3 stale wholemeal pita breads 
• 350g mixed-colour tomatoes
• 1 large cucumber (300g)
• 1 red pepper (150g)
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 ½ tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 ½ tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted and coarsely crushed
• ¾ tsp coriander seeds, toasted and coarsely crushed
• 1 tbsp sumac, plus more for sprinkling
• salt
• 120g radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 large banana shallot, thinly sliced (70g)
• 3-4 spring onions, thinly sliced
• 20g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 15g fresh mint, finely shredded
• 10g fresh coriander, roughly chopped

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.
2. Split open the pita and arrange them on an oven tray, making sure they are not overlapping. Toast for 10–12 minutes, or until they are golden. Set aside to cool, then break into bite-size pieces.
3. Cut the large tomatoes into 1cm wedges and the small ones in half, and put them into a large mixing bowl. Deseed the cucumber and cut into 1cm cubes, then do the same with the red pepper.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients, apart from the bread, along with ¾ teaspoon salt, and give everything a good mix, making sure all the vegetables are coated with the dressing.
5. Before serving the fattoush, add the toasted bread and give the salad another good mix. Sprinkle with sumac and serve at once.

Extracted from Boustany by Sami Tamimi (Ebury Press, $65.00). Photography by Ola O. Smit.