Salatat Fattoush
الفتوش·(fat-toosh)
The Sunday Spread: Mezze & Memories
The leftover pita snaps directly into the wooden bowl, the crisp bread soaking up the tart dressing. Rooted in the farming villages of Lebanon, the salad was a practical way for families to use up flatbread and whatever the spring harvest offered. The secret rests entirely in the emulsion: purple sumac, fresh lemon, and pomegranate molasses. We skip the messy deep-frying here for a quick oven-toast, making this essential mezze intuitive and fast on a busy weeknight. Tear the bread, trust the sumac, and serve it before the crunch gives out.
Before you start
Ensure all salad greens and vegetables are bone dry before chopping.
Wet lettuce will quickly dilute the carefully balanced dressing and turn the toasted bread into a soggy, unappetizing mess.
Ingredients
- thin Lebanese or pocket pita bread2 large
- extra virgin olive oil1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp
- ground sumac2 1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1 1/4 tsp
- fresh lemon juice1/4 cup
- pomegranate molasses2 tbsp
- dried mint1 tsp
- garlic1 med clove
- black pepper1/4 tsp
- romaine lettuce1 large head
- purslane or watercress1 cup
- Persian cucumbers3 med
- cherry tomatoes1 pt
- red radishes4 med
- scallions4 med
- green bell pepper1 small
- fresh flat-leaf parsley1 cup
- fresh spearmint leaves1/2 cup
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven to 375°F and tear the pita into rustic pieces.
Tear the single-layer pita pockets into jagged, 1-inch pieces with your hands—uneven edges catch and hold the dressing far better than perfect squares.
- 02
Toast the pita until shatteringly crisp.
Toss the torn bread on a baking sheet with one tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a half teaspoon of sumac, baking for 5 to 8 minutes until golden, then let cool.
- 03
Emulsify the dressing aggressively.
In a jar, combine the garlic paste, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, remaining two teaspoons of sumac, dried mint, salt, and pepper, then violently shake in the remaining third-cup of olive oil until it forms a thick, deep-purple emulsion.
- 04
Combine the fresh vegetables and herbs.
In a wide bowl, use your bare hands to gently toss the romaine, purslane, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, scallions, bell pepper, parsley, and mint so they are evenly distributed without bruising the delicate leaves.
- 05
Dress the salad only at the last possible second.
Pour the emulsion over the greens, toss thoroughly, and gently fold in the cooled pita chips immediately before serving to preserve their essential, undeniable crunch.
Notes
Pomegranate molasses is strictly non-negotiable.
Do not substitute standard baking molasses; you need the thick, dark, sweet-tart syrup found in Middle Eastern markets to achieve the authentic flavor.
Purslane is the authentic wild green.
If you can't find this tart succulent at a summer farmers' market, watercress is the best peppery substitute, or simply omit it and lean heavily on the parsley and mint.
From Cook Lebanese in America.