As much as I like tabbouleh, to me fattoush has more zing—plus it's less time-consuming to make and more adaptable. Here's one version of fattoush you'll encounter all over Lebanon, but in any home or restaurant you'll notice slight variations, depending on the season or the cook's palate. You can either deep-fry or toast the pita croutons that give the salad its special character; the fried bread will taste better, but toasted is, obviously, healthier. When tomatoes are out of season, I like to substitute cherry or grape tomatoes since they're likely to be juicier and more flavorful. If you can find purslane, use it (a cup or two, chopped); it adds authenticity and a nice peppery bite.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
1. Tear the bread into pieces (roughly 1-inch-square). Heat the vegetable oil over medium heat, and fry the bread bits until nicely browned and crisp, then set aside to drain on a plate lined with paper towels; or you can toast the pita instead of frying.
Step 2
2. Combine vegetables, lettuce, parsley, and bread pieces in a large bowl, and toss well.
Step 3
3. Whisk olive oil and lemon juice, and mix in garlic, sumac, mint, and salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4
4. Pour dressing over salad and toss thoroughly.
