RECIPE: Three tips for vegetable-packed, 30-minute fattoush
Made from stale or crisped pita pieces, fresh vegetables and plenty of olive oil, fattoush is a delightful meal-sized salad that is perfect for the 5:30 Challenge treatment. And while it is fantastic made with peak summer tomatoes and cucumbers, it’s also great when prepared with standard grocery store produce — you’ll just need to be particular with the varieties you choose.
First, the tomatoes. It is no secret that hot house tomatoes aren’t the most flavorful, but by eschewing full-sized ‘maters and picking up cherry or grape tomatoes, you can add sweetness and a pop of juicy texture to the salad. They’ll only get better as the weather continues to warm.
Next, the cucumber. An English cucumber, the variety that usually comes shrink-wrapped to protect its delicate skin, is the best choice for this salad (and just about all others). There are very few seeds in the center — no need to scrape them out — and the flesh is crisp, with a light vegetal sweetness.
Finally, to prepare the pita bread, I prefer to lightly toast wedges that have been coated in olive oil, rather than using stale bread. You get the opportunity to build more flavor this way, and you have greater control over the final texture. While many fattoush recipes have you let the dressed salad rest for at least 30 minutes before serving, we don’t have that kind of time here. By only lightly toasting the bread, we can achieve a crisp-chewy texture after only a five-minute soak in the dressing. (But if you’ve got the time, by all means let the salad sit for an extra 30 minutes or so.) Right before serving, stir in a generous amount of chopped fresh mint for color and a bright flavor that complements but doesn’t outshine the vegetables.
- 12 ounces pita bread rounds, each cut into 8 wedges
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large lemon
- 1 English cucumber
- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 bunch mint leaves, chopped (1/3 cup lightly packed)
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
- While the oven is heating, toss the pita wedges with a couple of tablespoons of oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, then spread into an even layer. Transfer to the oven and toast, stirring after 5 minutes, until just beginning to brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Immediately zest the lemon over the hot pita wedges, and toss to coat.
- While the pita is toasting, peel and dice the cucumber and transfer to a large bowl. Slice the tomatoes in half and add to the bowl with the cucumber.
- Add the hot pita wedges to the bowl with the vegetables and stir to coat. Juice the lemon into the bowl and stir in 6 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and let sit for 5 minutes for the flavors to meld. Stir in the mint and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 395 calories (percent of calories from fat, 34), 10 grams protein, 57 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams fiber, 15 grams total fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 947 milligrams sodium.Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
