Description
Notes:
- Use the recipe below as a guide. Come summer, I 100% will add tomatoes, but right now, this mix of snap peas, radishes, cucumbers, lettuce, and herbs, is doing the job. Use whatever vegetables and herbs you like and have on hand.
- The salad dressing is simply an adaptation of my favorite shallot vinaigrette with the addition of sumac and pomegranate molasses. It can be scaled up as needed.
- Not all pomegranate molasses are created equal. I bought this Cortas pomegranate molasses from Nora’s Market in Albany — Nora recommended this bottle, and I trust Nora. Because the sweetness/tartness/flavor of pomegranate molasses can vary from bottle to bottle, start with a tablespoon and add more to taste.
- Sumac can be hard to find. I see it more and more in shops and always in Middle Eastern markets, but if you have a hard time finding it, order a jar.
- This pita, (purchased from Nora’s Market, flown in from Montreal every Thursday), is very thin — separating it into two halves, in fact, is torture. Because of this, I don’t separate it — I simply leave it whole, brush it with olive oil and seasonings, and bake it. It works beautifully. If you are using thicker pita that is easy to separate, do so.
Ingredients
for the fattoush dressing:
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
for the pita:
- 2 rounds pita, see notes above
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt to taste
for the salad:
- 2 heads Romaine, finely chopped
- 4 small cucumbers, diced
- 1/2 lb. snap or snow peas, strings removed, sliced thinly on the bias
- 4 radishes, optional, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup finely chopped chives
- 1 cup mint, finely chopped
Instructions
- Make the dressing. Place the shallots, garlic, salt, sumac and vinegar in a small bowl. Let stand at least 15 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the pomegranate molasses and the olive oil. Whisk to combine. Taste. Add another tablespoon of pomegranate molasses if you wish — I always use 2 tablespoons.
- Make the pita. Heat the oven to 400ºF. If you are using thin pita (see notes above), simply lay the two rounds of pita on a sheet pan. If you are using thick pita, separate each into two halves and place each half smooth side up on a sheet pan. In a small bowl, stir together 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the cumin, and the crushed red pepper flakes — if you are brushing the oil over only two halves, 2 tablespoons will feel like a lot of oil (but it’s delicious and I say go for it); if you are brushing the oil over four halves, it may not feel like enough. Adjust accordingly — you want the surface of the pita to be coated in the cumin oil. Season generously with salt all over. Transfer pan to oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes — keep an eye on it! These quickly turn from perfectly toasty to overdone. Remove pan from oven and transfer pitas to a rack to cool.
- Make the salad: In a large bowl, combine all of the salad ingredients. Pour most of the dressing over top. Toss. Taste. Add more dressing — you’ll likely need all of it. Break the pita into shards over the salad. Toss again. Serve.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Toss
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
