Fattoush

I got the recipe for this from a newspaper years ago. I made it several times, but haven’t made it for years and had forgotten all about it. I was wondering what I could make with some of my beloved chickpeas when I suddenly remembered this. I had a wee look on the internet at a few other fattoush recipes and few authentic recipes actually include chickpeas. Also, a lot of recipes I read online recommended adding the pita bread at the very end so that it doesn’t go soggy, but to me the best part of this salad is the pita bread that has soaked up the juices and flavour. So, in my opinion leaving the salad for at least ten minutes before eating is highly recommended. If you are really, really hungry you can always nibble on the chickpeas, tomatoes, etc while waiting...although obviously I wouldn’t do that cos I’m just not that impatient...yeah right! I have never been able to find the sumac called for in the recipe, but as the author suggests I add more lemon. I am glad I remembered about this salad cos it’s really tasty and the fresh mint and lemon make it smell fabulous!

Fattoush Recipe (serves 2)

2 pitta
A handful of cherry tomatoes
A handful of radishes
1 small cucumber
2 spring onions
1 small bunch of mint
1 tin chickpeas
1 small bunch sorrel or baby spinach
A pinch sumac
1 lemon
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven or grill to high. Cut the pittas into small triangles, brush them with a little olive oil and bake/grill for 1 min. Now assemble the salad: Wash and half the tomatoes and radishes, cut the cucumber into chunks and slice the spring onions. Pluck the leaves from the mint stalks and chop them roughly. Wash and drain the chickpeas. Toss everything together in a large bowl with the sumac, lemon juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle more sumac over the top. Leave to stand for 10 min, then eat.