Food

BY BROOKE VIGGIANO

HOUSTON PRESS

From classic comfort foods to regional standouts and desserts, we’ll be sharing a new recipe with you each week. Find other dishes of the week here.

This week, we’re sharing a Levantine classic: Fattoush.

Derived from the Arabic word fatt, meaning to “breaking” or “crumbling”—fattoush is a bread salad that is popular in the Levant region, found in modern states of Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq and Syira. It is a variant of fatteh or fatta, a family of dishes that uses stale bread as the base (much like the Italian panzanella).

Fattoush incorporates torn pieces of pita or lavash that have been toasted or fried, plus greens (typically Romaine) and vegetables/herbs such as radish, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, mint and parsley. The salad gets dressed in a light vinaigrette, commonly made with olive oil, lemon, salt and sumac, a spice which adds extra tartness. Optional additions include feta or Tzfat cheese, garlic, olives, peppers, and pomegranate.

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The light, refreshing dish makes a perfect lunch, side with dinner, or addition to a mezze—a selection of small dishes served as an appetizer or to accompany drinks.

This recipe, from Food Network, uses toasted, golden brown pita bread that gets torn into pieces and tossed with Romaine, fresh mint and parsley, and a lemon-garlic vinaigrette, among other bright ingredients.   

Fattoush (Peasant Salad)

Ingredients
2 cups shredded lettuce (romaine and/or iceberg)
1 large or 2 small cucumbers,  diced small
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley, leaves only, no stems
1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, no stems
1/2 to 1 green pepper, diced
1 bunch green onions, finely sliced
1/2 teaspoon sumac
2 pieces of pita bread (or other flatbread)

For the dressing:
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 to 4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper

Directions

Toast pita bread until golden brown and break into quarter-sized pieces.

In a small bowl mix all dressing ingredients well.

Put all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 to 1 cup dressing. Serve immediately.

Source: www.houstonpress.com

Falafels are a Middle Eastern staple that make a great snack or meal. They are particularly popular in Israel, where they are fried up in street food stalls by men who have been perfecting their art for years. These men make the tiny chickpea balls at lightning speed and serve them hot and stuffed into pita bread with plenty of salad and hummus. Lucky for us, they’re easy to make at home too and thanks to their high fibre and protein content, they leave you feeling full and satisfied for hours. Don’t be deterred by the long list of ingredients – most of them are staples you’ll already have in your kitchen cupboard. They’re great for an easy and healthy dinner and keep well in the fridge so you can enjoy them for lunch all week long!

Ingredients

1¼ cups canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons coriander, finely chopped
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons water
1½ tablespoons plain flour
3 cups (750ml) sunflower oil, for frying
½ teaspoon sesame seeds, for sprinkling
¾ teaspoon salt
Method

1. Add chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, and coriander in a food processor. Pulse for 30-40 seconds until it is finely chopped and holds itself together, but is not pasty. Add the spices, baking powder, flour, salt and water. Mix with hands until the mixture is smooth. Cover and leave it in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

2. Heat about 2½ inches (6 cm) of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat to 180°C. With wet hands, form a patty or a ball using 1 tablespoon of the mixture. Sprinkle the balls with sesame seeds and fry them in batches for about 4 minutes or until well browned. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

3. Serve falafels with warm pita bread, hummus, and a fresh salad of mixed lettuce leaves, cucumber, tomato, carrot and anything else you want to add. Enjoy!

Source: startsat60.com

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