Fatoush – Vege, Herb and Bread Salad

Fatoush is an Arab salad which includes stale or toasted pita bread. It is a Syrian and Lebanese speciality. Adding the bread just before serving means it is still crisp when put on the table, although originally the idea was for the bread to soak up the dressing so it was mixed in sooner.

Fatoush - Vege, Herb and Bread Salad

Steven Thomas

Ingredients
  

Ingredients for salad

  • 2 - 3 small cucumbers or 1 large cucumber, or even a lettuce, chopped small
  • 3 - 5 firm ripe tomatoes chopped small
  • 1 medium onion or 3-10 spring onions chopped small
  • Up to 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves chopped
  • [Optional] Up to 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves chopped
  • [Optional] 1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves chopped
  • [Optional] 1 small capsicum chopped
  • [Optional] 1 pomegranate seeds only
  • [Optional] 1 small chilli chopped finely
  • [Optional] 1 teaspoon sumac1

Ingredients for dressing

  • 1 - 2 lemons juice and grated peel only
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 - 2 cloves garlic minced
  • Salt and Pepper

Other ingredients

  • 1/2 - 2 pieces stale or toasted pita bread

Instructions
 

  • Add salad ingredients to bowl and mix
  • Mix dressing ingredients and pour over salad.
  • Pop in fridge until you're ready to serve
  • Split the pita then tear into bite sized pieces
  • Set aside until you're ready to serve (so they stay crisp) .
  • Add pita to salad
  • Serve.

Notes

(1) Sumac is a sourish dark browny-red seed which is ground and used to flavour lamb, kebabs, fish, eggs, soups, salted pastries, yoghurt, sauces and vinegar. It is popular in Iran and Iraq, and is sprinkled on salads in Syria and Lebanon. It is also an essential part of the spice mix Za-atar. When soaked in water it produces a lemon-like liquid, which when mixed with mint is used as a drink.

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