FATTAT LAHM
EGYPT
Fattah, as it is pronounced in Egypt, is quite different from the Lebanese, Syrian, or Saudi fatteh. It is often made with sheep’s trotters and has added layers of boiled rice and tomato sauce, making for a much more substantial version. It is prepared for Eid al-Adha (the feast of the sacrifice) as well as to celebrate the arrival of a new baby as part of an ‘Aqeeqah, which is a banquet prepared for family and friends to celebrate a newborn. In Islam the ‘Aqeeqah is the animal sacrifice that is offered on behalf of the newborn on the seventh day after birth. The custom was practiced by Arabs before the advent of Islam.
SERVES 4 TO 6
4 lamb shanks (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg total)
2 cups (400 g) short-grain rice, Egyptian if you can find it
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
Sea salt
FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE
1 tablespoon (7 g) unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
One 14-ounce (400 g) can chopped tomatoes
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vinegar
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
3 cups (24 ounces/750 g) Greek yogurt
4 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
Sea salt
4 medium pita breads, split into 8 disks and toasted or fried in vegetable oil until golden
¼ cup (40 g) pine nuts, toasted in a hot oven for 5 minutes
1. Put the meat in a large pot and cover well with water. Place over medium heat and skim froth that rises to the surface as the water is about to boil. Reduce the heat to low, then cook, covered, for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the meat is very tender. Take the meat off the bone and return to the broth to keep hot.
2. Rinse the rice under cold water and put in a pan. Add 4 cups (1 liter) water, the butter, and salt to taste and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the water is fully absorbed. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel, replace over the pan and take off the heat.
3. To make the tomato sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens.
4. Mix the yogurt with the minced garlic and season with salt to taste.
5. To assemble the fattah: This should be done just as you are ready to serve it. Spread the toasted bread over the bottom of a shallow serving bowl. Cover with the rice. Scoop the lamb out of the broth with a slotted spoon and scatter over the rice. Drizzle with the tomato sauce. Cover with the yogurt mixture and sprinkle the toasted pine nuts all over. Serve immediately.