Fatoush Lebanese Salad

Fatoush Lebanese Salad Recipe

Fatoush also spelled fattush or Fattoush is a delicious Lebanese salad recipes made from an assorted ingredient of greens and vegetables that are added to toasted or fried pita bread pieces (Arabic bread). Fatoush is prepared by Lebanese cooks and most people in the east Mediterranean use leftover pita bread as a base.

To make fatoush, cooks use seasonal produce mixed with different vegetables and herbs according to taste, while making use of pitas that are more than a couple of days old. The vegetables and greens are cut into pieces larger than tabouli (image of Tabouli) which consists of finely chopped ingredients. Sumac has a distinctive taste that is usually used to give fatoush its sour taste. (It takes 10-15 minutes to prepare).

Primary Ingredients for Fatoush Salad Recipe:

• 1 bunch Purslane
• ½ bunch parsley
• ½ Kg ( 1 Pound) tomatoes
• ¼ Romanian lettuce
• 2 Medium size cucumber
• 1 Medium size white onion or 4 green onions
• 1 tablespoons Sumac (see notes below) to taste
• Few mint leafs or ½ cup
• 1 Medium size fried pita bread
• Dash of salt to taste
• 1/3 Cups of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of Lemon Juice to taste

Method for Preparing Lebanese Fatoush Salad:

• Fry pita bread in cooking oil till it becomes golden brown and crisp then set aside to drain.
• Cut the vegetables to thumb size pieces and add all ingredients to bowel.
• Chop the Purslane, onion and mint leafs to a smaller size and add to the bowel.
• Add to the bowel: salt, olive oil and lemon juice.

• Crush the crispy golden brown pita bread and sprinkle on top of the bowel.
• Before serving gently toss and mix the ingredient together.

It is recommended to serve this dish within 10 minutes after mixing ingredients since the pita bread will soak the dressing and will alter its taste.

• Serves 3-4 people.

Cook's Notes:

1. Other optional ingredients that can be used when preparing the Lebanese Fatoush salad as desired can be: Carrot, Red pepper, Green pepper, Red Cabbage, Black olive, Black pepper or green bell pepper.
2. Sumac is a Mediterranean cherry-red spice that's dried and ground and has a distinguished slightly sour, lime-like taste. You can find it in Arabian supermarkets outside of Lebanon. If you can’t find you may use limned Pomegranate or vinegar.

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