Lebanese Fattoush with Crispy Pita Bread

La storia di questo piatto

Fattoush belongs to the Levantine table, where bread is never wasted and the garden arrives in the bowl still loud with freshness. Torn pita meets ripe tomatoes, cucumber, radish, romaine and herbs in a salad that is humble, bright and entirely of the home kitchen.

Ingredienti

• 2 pieces Pita bread
• 3 medium Ripe tomatoes
• 2 medium Lebanese cucumbers
• 6 pieces Radishes
• 1 piece Green bell pepper
• 4 pieces Spring onions
• 1 head Romaine lettuce
• 20 leaves Fresh mint
• 1 large bunch Fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons Pomegranate molasses
• 3 tablespoons Lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons Sumac
• 1 clove Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Fine salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper

Preparazione

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Tear the pita bread into irregular triangles using your hands, not a knife: the natural tearing leaves more points and corners, and that is exactly where the best crispiness forms. Brush the pieces with a tablespoon of the olive oil from the list, so the bread turns golden and crisp instead of merely drying out. Spread them on a baking tray and bake for 6-8 minutes, turning halfway through; alternatively, toast them in a wide pan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. The aroma of toasted bread rising is the first sign, but watch the edges closely: they should turn amber, never dark, because a hint of burnt flavour makes the whole salad bitter.
2. While the bread dries, wash all the vegetables and dry them very carefully in a clean cloth: any water left clinging dilutes the dressing afterwards and wilts the lettuce in no time. Cut the tomatoes into generous cubes, the cucumbers into half-moon slices, the radishes into thin rounds, the pepper into fine strips (raw, it provides the crunchy, slightly vegetal note that supports the sweetness of the tomatoes) and the spring onions into thin rounds, keeping the tender green part too, which has flavour and should not be wasted. Tear the romaine lettuce by hand into pieces about the size of a bite, never with a knife: the blade bruises it and the edges blacken immediately, while tearing by hand keeps it fresh and crisp for longer.
3. In a small bowl prepare the heart of the dressing: crush the garlic with a pinch of salt (take it from the teaspoon in the list, the rest is for final seasoning) using the back of a knife, working it until it becomes a soft paste, then add the lemon juice, the pomegranate molasses, 1 tablespoon of sumac and the remaining oil. Whisk vigorously with a fork until the dressing binds into a glossy, slightly cloudy emulsion. Taste it with the tip of a finger: it should sting with acidity yet be softened by the molasses, and if you sense the balance is off, add another drop of pomegranate molasses or lemon, because this play between sweet and sour is the true soul of fattoush.
4. In a large bowl gather all the cut vegetables together with the mint and parsley, roughly torn by hand to release their fragrance. Pour the dressing in only now and toss gently with two spoons, lifting from the bottom upwards to incorporate air rather than crushing: taste and adjust salt and pepper; the lettuce should taste fresh and must not swim in liquid. Add the toasted bread and the last tablespoon of sumac just before serving, mixing lightly, so the bread stays crisp despite the moisture of the vegetables, and the sumac lends that citrusy note and vivid red colour that makes fattoush recognisable at first glance.