Spicy Chickpea & Sesame Fattoush
Fattoush is my favourite way to use up slightly stale pita & the lasts of the fresh salad veggies. It's often made without lettuce but I feel adding greens bulks the salad out a bit ~ even though I always end up picking out the best bits! But, like a tabbouleh, if serving the salad as a small side or eating as a lighter meal, I like to just chop up parsley instead of lettuce!
As for the dressing, the more spices the better! In this recipe I've just jotted down a couple that I always use as a base but I like to switch up the flavours. Baharat, allspice & turmeric are among my favourites! When I first made fattoush with pressed garlic, I was ready to taste a big overpowering chunk but the sour lemon really balances it out & adds freshness to the lettuce.
But the best part of the salad is the pita, always. I rip up the stale bread into bite size chunks, toss in extra virgin olive oil along with a big teaspoon of sumac (& maybe a few chilli seeds or cayenne pepper!) ~ ensuring that all the pieces are red with spice. I find that pita always suddenly burns so instead of mixing up the salad while the bread toasts, I do all the prep then the bread & wait eagerly next to the oven ~ checking & shaking every few minutes!
Spicy Chickpea & Sesame Fattoush
Serves: 2
Prep time: 5-10 mins
Cook time: 5-10 mins
Total time: 10-15 mins
Ingredients:
200g/1/2 can drained chickpeas
2 wholewheat pitas
2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3tbsp sumac
seasoning
1tbsp lemon
1tsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 Romaine lettuce
handful fresh parsley
2/3 San Marzano toms
large chunk cucumber
2 radishes
1tsp cumin
1tsp ground corriander
1tbsp sesame seeds
Method:
First, preheat the oven to 180'C & line 2 baking trays ~ one large & one small.
Chop all the veggies into bite size chunks & toss in a mixing bowl. Add the drained (not rinsed) chickpeas as well as the parsley.
In a small bowl, mash 1tbsp sumac along with the cumin & coriander then add 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil, the balsamic, lemon & pressed garlic.
Now, pour the dressing over the salad & toss.
Next, rip the pitas into a dish & drizzle over 1tbsp extra virgin olive oil & 1tbsp sumac. Toss & shake the dish so that all the little pieces are covered. Evenly spread onto the prepared large baking tray & place under the oven.
On the small lined baking tray, shake the 1tbsp sesame seeds & place under the oven along with the pitas.
Toast both the pitas & seeds for up to 10mins or until crisp & golden ~ the sesame seeds are usually ready first!
Once ready, mix the pitas into the salad & serve with 1tbsp sumac & the sesame seeds sprinkled over.