Mixed Herb and Toasted Bread Salad

FATTOUSH

LEBANON | SYRIA | JORDAN | PALESTINE

There are endless variations of fattoush, both in how it is seasoned and in the way it is prepared. Some families, like my mother’s, make fattoush without lettuce, with only the herbs (leaving the leaves whole); and the salad is dressed with just sumac and olive oil. Others chop the herbs, add shredded lettuce, and use lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic in the dressing. Some let the bread soak in the dressing before mixing the salad, while others are keen on keeping the bread crisp as long as possible. In Syria, the bread is fried instead of toasted, which has the advantage of keeping the bread crisp and the disadvantage of making the salad heavier. Regardless of all the variations, fattoush remains an essential salad for breaking the fast during the month of Ramadan in both Lebanon and Syria.

SERVES 6

1 medium pita bread, split horizontally into 2 disks, toasted in a hot oven until golden brown, broken into bite-size pieces

3 tablespoons ground sumac

⅓ cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

2 Little Gem lettuces (14 ounces/400 g total), outer damaged leaves discarded, cut across into ½-inch (1 cm) strips

2 bunches scallions (3½ ounces/100 g total), thinly sliced

6 mini cucumbers (10½ ounces/300 g total), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into medium-thin half-moons

10½ ounces (300 g) cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (7 ounces/200 g), most of the bottom stems discarded, coarsely chopped

½ bunch mint (3½ ounces/100 g), leaves stripped off the stems, coarsely chopped

½ bunch purslane (3½ ounces/100 g), leaves only

Sea salt

1. Put the pieces of toasted bread in a medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle the sumac over the bread. Add the oil and mix well. This will stop the bread from sogging up quickly after it is mixed with the salad. Taste the bread to see if it is salty. Some sumac has a little salt mixed in.

2. Put the lettuces, scallions, cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, mint, and purslane in a large salad bowl. Add the seasoned toasted bread and mix well. Add salt to taste. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve immediately.