Fattoush (Middle Eastern bread salad)

Arab salad, chopped salad, Israeli salad - whatever you choose to call it, there is no escaping it.

Wherever you go in the Middle East, you are most likely to find a plate of freshly chopped vegetables - tomato, cucumber, and onion, dressed with olive oil and lemon juice - served next to whatever else they are having.

This is not a Panzanella

There is a huge difference to the Italian Panzanella salad. While you have roasted bread in the Panzanella bread salad, you use pita bread and... yoghurt dressing for it.

Pita is not really bread; it is Pita

The Fattoush has thanks to the yoghurt and sumac a more sour taste and has also a fresh note to it. It is fitting better to some Mediteranian dishes or grills.

Unfortunately, if you're not living in the Middle East or in a city with a large Middle Eastern comunity, it will be hard to find good pita. So maybe, you do your own. The recipe will follow.

Gluten-free option

To make the salad gluten-free, use gluten-free bread or rolls.

Ingredients

150 ml whole milk

150 g Greek yoghurt

1 Romaine lettuce

350g tomatoes, roughly chopped

4 spring onions, sliced

2 small cucumbers, not peeled, chopped

1 Radishes, finely sliced

25g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

15g fresh mint, roughly chopped

1 heaped teaspoon dried mint

1 heaped teaspoon sumac, plus more for garnish

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon salt

a good grating of black pepper

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar

Pita bread (flatbreads) weighing about 200-250g

Preparation

Start with the dressing. Whisk milk, yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar together in a large bowl until combined. Add salt, pepper, dried mint and sumac.

Cut the pita bread in small pieces and add to the dressing. Let it soak for a couple of minutes.

Add the salad ingredients, including the parsley and the fresh mint. Then toss until evenly combined.

Garnished with sumac and serve.