I’ve been on a barbecue bender and I need a time-out. This salad is the perfect interlude. Fattoush is a Middle Eastern garden salad with shards of toasted pita bread infused with oil and sumac, a ground tart berry found throughout southern Italy and the Middle East. Light, fresh and vegetarian, Fattoush salad is a wonderful antidote to the meaty excesses of summer grilling. It's also a light and healthy option for warm weather dining.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried sumac
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Pita:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Pinch of sumac
- 2 large pita breads, halved
Salad:
- 1 small head romaine lettuce, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups arugula leaves
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup Italian parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
To Prepare
- Whisk all of the vinaigrette ingredients, except the olive oil, in a small bowl. Add the oil in a steady stream, whisking constantly to emulsify.
- Preheat the oven broiler or grill. Whisk the oil, salt, and sumac in a small bowl. Brush pita halves with the oil. Broil or grill, turning once, until crisp and light golden. Remove from the heat and cool. Break into bite-size pieces.
- Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle half of the vinaigrette over and toss to combine. Add additional vinaigrette to taste. Add the pita and toss again. Serve immediately.
