Fattoush is a Lebanese salad made with chopped greens, vegetables, and toasted pita bread. The dressing is usually a simple oil-based one with sumac or garlic. The salad is left to sit for 15 minutes to an hour to allow the dressing to soak into the bread.
Arabic meaning of moistened or crumbled bread, fattoush is a Lebanese salad served with toasted pita bread. A wholesome meal, fattoush includes a simple, usually homemade, oil-based salad dressing and a variety of chopped greens. This salad is said to be an especially good dish for the warm months.
Although fattoush is traditionally made with pita bread, it can be made with other types of bread as well. French, white, and Italian breads are all options. Regardless of the type of bread, it should always be chopped up and toasted. Once cut, the pita pieces are usually placed on a baking sheet and left to cook in the oven until crispy. They can be brushed with olive oil first to help prevent burning.
Romaine lettuce is often used in fattoush. However, iceberg lettuce can also be used. Additionally, fresh spinach leaves can be combined with lettuce for a greater variety of greens or can be used in place of lettuce.
Tomatoes, green peppers, and cucumbers are a staple for this salad. Parsley and mint leaves are usually added as well. Almost any vegetable can be placed in fattoush, but green or red onions and shallots are the most frequent additions. Olives, chickpeas and radishes may also be included.
The dressing can be made simply by combining extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Often, however, the condiment includes sumac, a sour Middle Eastern spice made from berries. Sumac is often hard to find in grocery stores, but can usually be found online and in specialty stores. If sumac is not available, garlic can be added to the sauce. Some recipes may add garlic and sumac to the dressing.
While it is occasionally heated during preparation, the dressing is generally mixed without heat. The ingredients are poured together into a bowl and mixed or whipped together. Salt and pepper, to taste, are also often included.
To make fattoush, the vegetables are first cut while the bread is toasted. Also, parsley and mint leaves must be removed from the stems. Then the bread and chopped greens are combined in a serving bowl and tossed with the prepared dressing.
Some nontraditional recipes suggest serving fattoush immediately, but the full salad is usually allowed to sit for between 15 minutes and an hour to allow the dressing to soak into the bread. It does not need to be refrigerated during this time. The dressing should be applied loosely, as it is designed for bread soaking.
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