WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: The eastern Mediterranean salad fattoush puts cucumbers and tomatoes at center stage along with herbs, toasted pita bread, and bright, tangy sumac. We opted to use an ample amount of ground sumac in the dressing to intensify the flavor, as well as use it as a garnish for the finished salad. Many recipes call for eliminating excess moisture from the salad by taking the time-consuming step of seeding and salting the cucumbers and tomatoes. We skipped this in order to preserve the crisp texture of the cucumber and the flavorful seeds and juice of the tomatoes. Instead, we made the pita pieces more resilient by brushing them with plenty of olive oil before baking, which prevented them from becoming soggy in the dressing. The success of this recipe depends on ripe, in-season tomatoes. Tart, lemony sumac can be found in the spice aisle of larger supermarkets.
SERVES: 4
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 (8-inch) pita breads
- 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons ground sumac, plus extra for sprinkling (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- ⅛ inch thick 1 cup arugula, chopped coarse
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ cup chopped fresh mint
- 4 scallions, sliced thin
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Using kitchen shears, cut around perimeter of each pita and separate into 2 thin rounds. Cut each round in half. Place pitas smooth side down on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Brush 3 tablespoons oil over surface of pitas. (Pitas do not need to be uniformly coated. Oil will spread during baking.) Season with salt and pepper. Bake until pitas are crisp and pale golden brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
- Whisk lemon juice; sumac, if using; garlic; and ¼ teaspoon salt together in small bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in remaining ¼ cup oil.
- Break pitas into ½-inch pieces and place in large bowl. Add tomatoes, cucumber, arugula, cilantro, mint, and scallions. Drizzle dressing over top and gently toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, sprinkling individual portions with extra sumac if desired.
